Fall & Rebirth
by RB3
Summary: Xover: Persona 4, 3 & Devil Survivor. The Mayans predicted it, and it is coming true. December 21, 2012 is the day the Persona world ends. Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Fuuka join the Survivors and the Investigation Team to prevent doomsday from befalling the world.
1. Fool 1:  Silent Revolution

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 1: Silent Revolution **

Seven long days of hell on Earth were over. The demons which had plagued Tokyo City were gone. Once all of the strange events stopped happening, the people realized that the incident was over and they could get on with their lives. The JSDF had released the lockdown around the Yamanote Line, allowing people and supplies to once again flow freely. The terrorizing demons were written off as hallucinations caused by gas leaks in the region, a mere cover story for truth. Indeed, the truth was far stranger than reality.

The Yamanote lockdown was a test from God and the angels to see if mankind could deal with the presence of demons in their world. In the midst of the Yamanote lockdown was a life or death battle among demon-kind to crown their next ruler, the King of Bel. Each competitor was a demon christened with the name of "Bel" and fought the others to absorb their power. Once the winner emerged, he or she would be tested by the demon Babel, and upon victory, would have all the demons to do with as he or she pleased.

When the dust settled, the winner and new King of Bel was a reincarnation of the biblical Abel, Saemon Ichihara. Following the ideals of his friend, Atsuro Kihara, he had Atsuro and his cousin, Naoya, reprogram the demon summoning system housed in Babel to allow humanity to repackage demonic power as beneficial technology. Being Japanese nationals, they gave the system to Japan, which used it to explode onto the international scene in a way it had never done so before. Japan became a superpower rivalling the US and Russia before it, despite its small size. It even earned its own seat on the UN Security Council.

Sometime after Saemon and friends had handed over the power of Bel to the government, trouble reared its ugly head again. Babel, had summoned him and his friends to do battle against a mighty demonic invader. The Lovecraftian demon, Yog-Sothoth, had come to Earth for reasons only it knew. Despite its reasons being unknown, it was a very dangerous being who was a threat to the planet. Saemon and friends went to battle to stop its arrival. However, the battle was intense and his friends and demons now laid on the ground unconscious and wounded.

Saemon himself was barely able to stand after suffering the vicious attacks of the beast. There was a bruise on his chest as well as on the left side of the head. Yog-Sothoth had rammed him with orbs, separating them from its body and shooting them into him. In fact, all Yog-Sothoth consisted of was a set of glowing spheres. It looked almost like a bunch of white grapes, if not for the fact that he could see what looked like a small universe within each sphere. Despite its unusual and strange appearance, Yog-Sothoth was powerful.

"Is this how it ends for me?" asked Saemon.

Saemon looked down, seeing his charred Comp lying in the middle of space. Without it, he could not summon any demons to defend himself. His friends, Atsuro, Yuzu, and Midori were limp and unconscious near him. No matter how loudly he could yell, none of them would hear him. "Cousin... Brother..." addressed a voice over the radio.

"Naoya?" asked Saemon.

"There is only one way for you to win. You must call upon the power of Bel. It is your only hope," informed Naoya.

"But what will happen to me?" asked Saemon.

"Nothing will happen. You might deny it all you want, but it is a part of you. It is who you are, the King of Bel," replied Naoya.

"How do I do it?"

"Reach deep within yourself. It is there for the taking," said Naoya.

Saemon reached deep within his very soul. He envisioned a great mass of throbbing darkness within, dormant, waiting for the time of its awakening. Saemon reached out to the darkness and took it within himself. A surge of power rushed through him and an aura of violet flame surrounded his body. His wounds healed rapidly and he instantly regained the strength to stand upright again. A black cape now covered his body protectively. Yog-Sothoth hurled one of its spheres, but Saemon instinctively vanished in a purple haze and reappeared in a new location.

"Beautiful!" remarked Naoya, satisfied with this turn of events. "As the King of Bel, you have access to all of a comp's functions without needing a comp. You can summon demons whenever you want and fuse them together. Simply will it, and it will happen. You have Azazel and Thoth in your reserves. Fuse them together, then summon the result to battle Yog-Sothoth."

Saemon held out his hands and saw images of the devilish Azazel and the baboon-like Thoth. He clasped his hands together, forcing the two to merge together into a demon which could only be described as a miniature, living galaxy. Stars within it glowed orangy-red, their light intermingled such that it almost looked like a frothy burning gas. It had mouths all over its body of varying sizes, each of which opened and closed with the ceaseless churning of its body. This creature was the Jaki Azathoth, the Daemon Sultan, a Lovecraftian demon.

Saemon immediately summoned Azathoth and sicced him against the enemy. Yog-Sothoth launched an orb, striking Azathoth cleanly. He didn't seem fazed by it at all. Rather, he seemed to enjoy taking the force of the impact, as though it was rejuvenating him. Azathoth latched wispy tendrils around the enemy. He proceeded to lash it repeatedly, with violet energy bursting with each hit. Yog-Sothoth separated and reformed out of Azathoth's grasp.

"Quick, while Azathoth has him distracted, blast him with the Wrath of Bel," said Naoya.

Saemon gathered power and thrust out his hand to direct it. A pillar of dark violet, nearly black, almighty energy burst into existence upon Yog-Sothoth. The pillar seemed to rupture reality itself, causing black electricity to crackle all around. Yog-Sothoth's body disintegrated, melting into inky darkness. Fatigued, Saemon slumped forward and his cloak vanished. "I overdid it..." he remarked, barely able to remain conscious.

"Good," remarked Naoya, as Saemon sank into unconsciousness. "Good... To display this much power, even with the majority of it in the possession of Japan. You're still too weak to handle it, but one day, it will become second nature."

* * *

><p>Since then, Saemon had taken to guarding the Bel system, ensuring its safety and to channel the use of his newly awakened powers to a constructive end. Soon after, the Japanese began exploration and colonization into the demonic realm. Clad in the cloak of black, Saemon gazed up to the sky. In the demonic world the sky was blood red, just like Tokyo was in the last days of the War of Bel. Before him was the Tower of Babel, a monolithic tower covered in golden plates. The top was missing, having been blasted off by the angels in ages past.<p>

At the base of the tower was his exploration team's base camp, which had grown into a small town. Houses started to rise up from their foundations in the ground. This budding Babel Town had facilities for everyone involved, from civilian scientists to military personnel and even the demons the group used as companions and defence. Saemon found his destination, the local police station and meeting place for his next adventure in the demon world.

Seated in the room were his friends. The first, Atsuro Kihara, adjusted his fisherman's sun hat and stood up to greet him. "Hi Saemon, how was your trip?"

"Oh, the usual," replied Saemon. "So, where are we going today?"

"We're gonna see Fairy Island!" replied a smiling, bespectacled Japanese girl. Despite being out of her cosplay costume and dyed hair, Saemon could still recognize her as Midori Komaki.

"Yeah, I'm excited," said a buxom girl in pink, Yuzu Tanikawa, who was another of Saemon's closest friends.

"Cool! When do we leave?" asked Saemon.

"Izuna's getting everything ready," replied Atsuro. "We'll leave the instant she gets back."

A few minutes later, a red-haired military woman came into the office. She wore a suit of military gear known as the Demonica. It consisted of a green jumpsuit and a protective beige bulletproof vest with numerous rectangular pockets for ammunition. The most important part of the Demonica suit was the golden arm-mounted Comp, a miniature computer designed to organize and maintain control of demonic servants. The Demonica was but one of the inventions derived from demon technology.

The woman seemed quite rugged and tough, as befitting her work in the military. She was Misaki Izuna. "Okay, everything's ready. Let's head out for Fairy Island."

Saemon and friends boarded a transport truck with a military camouflage design. Izuna got into the driver's seat and started the engine, taking the truck out of town and into formation with other vehicles. At the edges of the convoy, jeeps driven by soldiers in Demonicas provided a safe cushion of space in case of demon attack. The convoy passed through a small forest without incident and came upon a harbour. Like with Babel Town, it too was growing as people started to move there. Shops started to spring up, selling items such as fish, bait, and boating related merchandise.

The convoy transferred onto some boats and sailed all the way to Fairy Island. As they approached, they were greeted by the sight of a verdant forest which seemed to shine even in the light of day. It also seemed to radiate a sense of abundance, fecundity, and magic. Rising above the treeline was an alabaster palace, likely belonging to the rulers of the region. The convoy moored their ships at the nearest harbour and started to explore their new environment.

They found themselves at Fairy Harbour, according to the sign at the heart of the city. Various demons of the Fairy race milled about on their business. An elf woman purchased fruit from an elven vendor just before them. A large blue creature clad in bear fur transported heavy packages to a nearby store. It had a surprisingly cute appearance despite its intimidating size. Saemon recognized the demon as a troll. A small, rotund snow man in a blue jester's cap spoke to a meat vendor. Saemon was quite familiar with this cute creature, a Jack Frost.

A beautiful fairy noticed Saemon among the crowd. She wore an elegant green dress with golden designs on it, but was barefooted save for an anklet. The fairy had a youthful, elven face and pointed ears. She had long, curly blonde hair with a flower on top of her head. She hovered about, carried about by drafts from her insect-like wings. Despite her youthful beauty, she also seemed to have an air of regalness and noble maturity about her.

She moved closer to Saemon and looked him over. "Excuse me, but would you happen to be Lord Abel?"

"Yeah, but everybody just calls me Saemon though," said Saemon modestly.

"Oh wow, it is you!" remarked the fairy, happy to see him. "I've always wanted to form a contract with you!" The fairy seemed to be almost swooning, as though she had met a rock star. "Oh, how rude of me! I haven't introduced myself. I'm the Fairy Titania. Do you accept my contract?"

"Of course. Let the contract be formed," stated Saemon.

"Yes! ...And now to seal it with a kiss," which Titania promptly did to Saemon's cheek.

"Okay, okay, you've made a contract with him. Can we please get on with our mission?" asked Yuzu, irate over Titania throwing herself at Saemon.

"I know this area well. Would you like me to show you, my master?" asked Titania.

"Sure, we'd really appreciate it," replied Saemon.

Titania led the group around on a tour of the Fairy Island Docks. As they travelled to each of the locations, Titania identified them. She started with the harbour, where the group had moored their ships. She proceeded to the town square and market area, full of stands and fairies trading goods. Next, she led the group to the north part of town, where the sheriff's office was located. The sheriff was a troll, big and tough, one who could intimidate criminals. He was seated at a desk, talking to a dryad.

Titania came to a single dirt road leading up to a beautiful white castle in the distance. "That path leads to the Pearly Castle, where Oberon and his Titania wife rule the island. That concludes my tour of the docks and Fairy Island," said Titania.

"We really appreciate it," said Saemon.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in the demonic realm, a large creature resembling a green blob traversed a vast plain. The creature's flesh looked like molten green wax dripping down its sides. It shifted its body forward, using its claws to pull its way forward. The creature's mouth was open so wide, that it could swallow a grown man whole. Perched at the top of this creature was a pair of yellow eyes and a single wide nose. The demon was known as Abaddon, the Lord of Locusts.<p>

The Abaddon spotted a brown rabbit and quickly moved to pursue it. By the same token, the rabbit heard it coming and immediately started to bound away. Though surprisingly fast for something its size, the Abaddon was still slow compared to the rabbit. Instead of trying to outrun it, the demon conjured a swarm of locusts and sicced them in pursuit. The bugs proved too fast and numerous, scooping the poor rabbit into the air and delivering it to the Abaddon's mouth. The Abaddon savoured its meal with each and every bite.

A swirling vortex suddenly opened underneath, sinking the demon into its clutches. The Abaddon couldn't put up even a token resistance before vanishing into it. At Babel Town, scanner operators picked up the vortex on their equipment as a dimensional anomaly, or more specifically, a demon summoning. A black-haired Japanese soldier with a fierce expression visited the operators. "Commander Fushimi, our scanners just picked up a spatial anomaly in the western sector. Someone had just summoned a demon," reported one of the operators.

"Can you track who or where it was summoned?" asked Fushimi.

"Negative," replied the operator. "I don't understand why. Our system links to Babel. It should be able to track where the summoning took place."

"I'm taking a team to investigate the area. Keep monitoring the situation and trace the summoning."

"Roger," replied the operator.

Within minutes, Fushimi was on the scene, investigating the area with a team of crack soldiers. So far, all they had seen was grass and rocks. They came across a pile of animal carcasses, but other than that, there was nothing of note. "There's nothing here..." remarked one of the soldiers.

In the distance, something watched the soldiers. It was hidden in the darkness of a burrow beneath a large set of rocks. The creature's yellow eyes scanned the distance, seeing Fushimi and his men mill about the area. One of the soldiers turned his back to the creature, which it used as its chance to strike. The creature, a different Abaddon, emerged from the burrow with a blast of ice blazing from its mouth. The soldier got caught in the back and gasped in pain as a chill raced up his spine.

The Abaddon charged as the men faced it to prepare their counterattack. Fushimi fired an Agi spell through his gun, which spewed balls of flame with each press of the trigger. A second soldier fired a Zio gun, zapping the Abaddon with electricity. Despite concentrated fire from the men, the Abaddon withstood the pain and pressed forward. "Its resistant to our weapons. Cover me, I'm getting my side arm!" cried Fushimi.

The soldiers closed ranks around him and blasted the Abaddon with elemental projectiles and bolts. Fushimi successfully drew his weapon and opened fire. The Abaddon recoiled as each bullet struck its body. The creature broke down and burst into several wisps of magical energy before vanishing. However, the fighting woke up more of the creatures, drawing three more Abaddons to their location. The soldiers fired on the closing demons.

"Oh great, more of them..." muttered Fushimi. "Time to bring out the demons."

He pressed a button on his comp. Suddenly, a group of demons appeared at his side. The first was a skeletal horseman who rode upon a blood red horse. The horseman was clad in a black shroud and bore the skeletal face of death. He raised a single sword high above his head triumphantly, as though having been victorious in a massive battle. He was the Fiend Red Rider, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the one which brought War to the world.

The second was a Japanese woman clad in white ceremonial priestess robes with red sleeves. The woman was quite beautiful and the sole demon of the trio who could pass for a normal human being. Her long black hair reached the small of her back and some of it was tied into two loops behind her crown-like hairpiece. She was the Megami Kikuri-Hime, the goddess of miko and the one who mediated between the creator god and goddess of Japan during their dispute.

The last was a four-armed Indian deity with bluish-purple skin. He had a closed third eye on his forehead. The deity carried a trident, a horn, a chakra disc and a chalice in his arms. He wore a snake as a necklace and a tiger's skin as a loincloth. This strange deity was actually the Fury Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, and one of the most highly worshipped deities even in the modern world. Shiva readied his weapon in preparation for battle.

"Attack!" commanded Fushimi.

His men backed off to let his demons take care of this threat. Kikuri-Hime started off by throwing a fireball at an Abaddon. However, like with the previous Abaddon, the new one shrugged off the fiery attack just as easily. However, the attack distracted it from noticing that the Red Rider had closed in from the flank. He swung his weapon, the Terror Blade, which cast several yellow blades at the victim. They cut into the Abaddon's with such force that they toppled it. As it laid helpless, Red Rider closed in and sliced the creature in half.

Shiva opened his third eye and gazed at one of the approaching Abaddon. His eye opened a dark vortex upon its victim, sucking it in fatally. The second Abaddon lunged at Shiva, who parried its claw with his trident. Shiva knocked it away and unleashed a Megido spell. It formed a sphere of violet energy overhead which then blasted down upon its victim like a column. The beam shredded the Abaddon, dispersing its demonic energy in a haze of inky darkness.

A radio message came from base. "Commander, Saemon's group has returned from their survey of Fairy Island."

"Good, I'll return to base to meet them," replied Fushimi, who then turned to a subordinate. "Major, continue the search and keep me posted if anything happens."

"Yes sir!" replied the soldier. Fushimi boarded a jeep with one of his men, who drove him back to Babel Town.

* * *

><p>Saemon's group listened to the words of the scanner operator as he described the incident in the western region. "I managed to track down the location of the summoning, but its not anywhere in the demon or human world."<p>

"Then where is it?" asked Saemon's final friend, a bespectacled boy named Keisuke Takagi.

"Another world," replied the operator.

"Another world?" asked Midori. "Like another dimension?"

"Yes, just as you think," assured Atsuro.

"...But shouldn't Babel be able to stop something like this?" asked Yuzu.

"That's what I'd thought, but whatever did this summoning did so despite Babel's attempts to veto it," replied Atsuro. "We'll have to go to origin of the summoning and investigate."

"On the bright side, we get to explore a new world! I wonder what that place is like?" wondered Midori.

At that moment Fushimi entered the monitoring room. The operator and Saemon's friends briefed their commander on what had happened. "Very bad," he muttered. "Is there anyway we can go to this other world to investigate whomever summoned the demon?"

"Of course, we'll need to make some modifications to Babel's program so it will take some time," replied Atsuro.

"Then do so," commanded Fushimi. "In the meantime, I'll have my men prepare for the trip."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	2. Fool 2:  Velvet Room

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 2: Velvet Room **

Monday March 26, 2012

A peaceful day passed by in the rural Japanese town of Inaba. The sun was shining as housewives put out the family laundry to dry. Husbands in suits set out to commute to work while the children travelled to school for the day. A gust of cool spring air passed over and the trees swayed with movement of the air. Inaba was a beautiful, quiet place where anyone could live peacefully as the days drifted by. It was a contrast to the rushed hustle and bustle of the larger Japanese cities.

However, even this town held a dark secret. The year before, a series of gruesome murders had taken place in Inaba. As part of these murders, the victims were dumped into a second unknown world which laid beyond the screen of a TV set. This world reflected the deepest, darkest secrets of a person's heart, a sort of collective unconsciousness of humanity. In this world lived creatures born from the negative emotions of humanity, the Shadows.

In an empty plains within this "Shadow world," a vortex of violet light swirled open in the ground. From it emerged the Abaddon, summoned to this plane of existence from the demonic realm which housed Babel. The demon looked around, unfamiliar with this strange new world. Its face suddenly perked up, sensing something tasty, which made it lick its lips. It followed the sensation to its source, a cave at the side of a mountain. As the demon entered, the pitter-patter of scurrying echoed lightly.

When it rounded a corner, the Abaddon found a creature which resembled a white glove. On the back of the glove, at the wrist, was the creature's face, which resembled a frowning blue theatrical mask. The Abaddon smiled sinisterly, sensing the dark emotions radiating from this glove-like creature. It licked its lips greedily before bolting for its prey. Terrified, the glove creature, a Hand Shadow, ran away as fast as it could, using two of its fingers like legs.

As the Abaddon gave chase, it smashed through stalagmites without missing a beat. The Hand Shadow encountered a stone wall of the cavern, a dead end. Its heart sank as it saw the Abaddon entered the chamber, blocking the only exit. Seeing no way out, the Hand Shadow launched itself at the demon, spraying a searing jet of flame. The relatively large Abaddon couldn't possibly dodge. The flames engulfed the demon entirely.

Satisfied, the Hand watched as the flames receded, only to see the Abaddon still before it, singed black from the attack. The demon's face contorted with rage. It immediately bolted forward, pinning the Hand to the ground. The Hand squealed in terror as it tried to wriggle free, but couldn't get out. The Abaddon lifted it up and tossed it straight into its mouth. The Hand squealed in terror and desperation, its cries barely drowning out the squishing sounds of the Abaddon's chewing. After swallowing, the Abaddon let out an extended, low burp which echoed in the cave.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, a "person" smelled the intense fear radiating from the distance. The fear came from the Shadows themselves, though what they were afraid of was unknown. The "person" was a large, top heavy bear with large eyes. He was dressed in a clown-like suit of red and white stripes. His costume was designed to be as colourful and cute as possible to appeal to children. He was essentially a person dressed as a mascot for a circus or special occasion like a birthday party. He was Teddie, a benign Shadow which had developed sentience and his own personality.<p>

"I have to go out and tell the others!" Teddie thought.

After tapping his foot, a stack of TV sets appeared in a puff of smoke. He climbed into the screen of one of them and fell through a long dark tunnel, appearing in the electronics section of a department store. There were TV sets everywhere, all lined up on display against the wall along with posters advertising shows and performers. On the shelf in the nearest aisle were DVDs containing various movies and TV programs ranging from dramas to anime series. Teddie recognized this place as the interior of Junes, a place he was intimately familiar with.

The people were all preoccupied elsewhere and he was fortunate that nobody had seen him pop out of the screen of the TV set. He removed the head of his suit, revealing the face of the gorgeous blond-haired, blue-eyed boy underneath. He activated a cell phone and placed it to his ear. After a few ringing sounds, a young man answered. "Hello?" asked the teenager.

"It's me," said the boy into the speaker. "Listen, something just happened on the other side. I'll tell you all once we meet at the food court."

Within minutes, Teddie's gang had gathered in the food court at the base of Junes Department Store. The gang consisted of teenagers, most of whom were students of the local high school, Yasogami High. These people were Teddie's friends, the Investigation Team which had solved the murders of last year. They did so by exploring the Shadow world and apprehending those who used it to escape from the law. Each member was a user of what was known as a "Persona," their personal Shadows, which manifested as creatures of myth and deities of various religions.

"Whassup, Teddie? What happened over there?" asked Yosuke Hanamura, a slender boy with unkempt brown hair.

"Something really has the Shadows spooked. I don't know what it was, but anything that can scare the Shadows like that must be very strong," informed Teddie.

"Okay, let me take a look through Kanzeon," offered Rise Kujikawa, an attractive red-headed girl with hair tied into two pigtails.

* * *

><p>In the TV World, the Abaddon continued its reign of terror. The creature had grown to a monstrous size now, empowered from having consumed so many Shadows since its arrival. The creature was easily as tall as a house now and his mouth could devour dozens of men whole in a single gulp. The demon travelled around the Shadow world, entering its equivalent of Inaba's outskirts and suburbs. The streets were eerily quiet, for the Shadows would dare not show their faces or make a single noise in its presence.<p>

Above, a crimson peacock-like bird watched the Abaddon hunt for food. The Abaddon smashed its way into a vacant house, scaring several Shadows out of hiding. The Shadows scurried away in random directions, making it impossible for the demon to pursue all of them. Instead, the demon fixated on a table-like Shadow as it fled southward down the road. The Abaddon, unable to catch up, released a swarm of locusts. These insects swarmed all over the table Shadow, getting into its eyes. Its momentary blindness caused it to misstep over a pebble and fall.

The demon caught up and quickly popped the Shadow into its mouth. Saemon's team, the Survivors of the Yamanote lockdown, closed in from behind. "Whoa! Look at the size of that thing!" remarked Yuzu.

"I've never seen an Abaddon that big!" remarked Atsuro. "What has it been eating?"

"We can figure that out later. We have to eliminate it before it gets any stronger!" urged Izuna, who immediately fired her assault rifle.

Casings spewed from her weapon while the nozzle became ablaze, spewing bullets. Her shots caused their target to shudder, staggering it momentarily. Atsuro cupped his hands and unleashed a powerful beam of pink energy. The beam, a Primal Force attack, struck the Abaddon cleanly in the back, knocking it face first into the ground. The Abaddon pushed itself up and spun to see where that hit came had come from. Its face contorted into a glare upon noticing Atsuro.

"Watch out Atsuro, you've made him mad!" remarked Yuzu.

The Abaddon sicced a swarm of locusts at the team, an attack known as Ten Plagues. As locusts came for him, Saemon threw open his cloak, casting crackling electricity all around his body. The electricity seemed to dance from locust to locust and charred each fatally. The smell of smoke filled the air and the burnt bodies piled up all around him. In retaliation, he waved he hand and from above, spheres of dark violet energy formed, then suddenly blasted downwards as pillars of devastation. This spell, Megido, ripped off a chunk of the Abaddon's flesh from the sides and back.

It turned to Saemon and spewed icy wind. Saemon covered up in the face of this icy onslaught. The coldness radiated down his skin and it was tough to maintain his guard in the face of this onslaught. Suddenly, the ice stopped coming. Saemon uncovered himself and saw tendrils of darkness had snatched the enemy within its grasp. He followed the tendrils to their source, the demon Azathoth. "Good work, Azathoth!" remarked Saemon, seeing how his demon had intervened to defend him.

"You got him! Finish him off!" cried Yuzu, flailing her arms to ward the buzzing locusts which harassed her.

At that moment, a black-skinned giant approached the restrained Abaddon. This humongous man had red, stripe-like markings and was naked save for a red cloak. This giant held a large sword which had a blade made of pure flame. This giant the demon who had incinerated the world during the twilight of the gods. He was the Tyrant Surt. With a single mighty stroke, Surt brought his weapon, Laevatein, down upon the Abaddon's head. It let out an sharp scream as it split in half and crumbled into blobs of darkness which vanished into thin air.

"Excellent," commented Izuna. "Let's return to base and tell the Commander."

* * *

><p>The Investigation Team found themselves in a massive room in the Shadow world. Above, spotlights hung from metal railings, shining light down upon the central platform where everyone stood. On the floor was a black and white bull's eye symbol, as though marking the ground as a target. There were several outlines of fallen people, like chalk outlines of victims murdered by the Shadows. The massive room appeared to be a television studio and the chalk outlines made it seem like a crime scene.<p>

Rise stood at attention, forming a Persona, Kanzeon, which appeared as a robed goddess with a satellite reception array for her face. She was a bizarre fusion of human and machine, yet her appearance fit her role as support and intelligence. From her stance, Kanzeon held a ring-like device around Rise's head. It was like a visor, but also functioned like a mind to machine interface for Rise. Kanzeon's head swayed left and right, scanning the world for information.

Visions of the Shadow world flooded Rise's mind. As she focused her power, the visions also focused on what appeared to be a neighbourhood in Shadow Inaba. One of the homes had the front door smashed open. There were blast marks on the ground and several lights on the street had been knocked over. "I found something," announced Rise. "There's a big mess to the northeast. I'll show you the way."

The group followed Rise's lead and found themselves at the Shadow world equivalent of Inaba's suburbs and outskirts. The air smelled of charcoal and smoke, as though something had burnt in the area. "This is the place," informed Rise.

"Wow, what happened here?" asked a short-haired brunette, Chie Satonaka.

"It looks like a battle had broken out here before we arrived," replied Naoto, a slender, tomboyish girl in a detective's cap. Naoto noticed a glimmering object on the ground and picked it up. The brass object had a cylindrical shape with an open centre, as though it once encased something. Naoto held it up to scrutinize it more closely.

"A bullet casing?" asked Kanji, a white-haired teenager with a rebellious, "bad boy" appearance.

"Yes," agreed Naoto. "It came from a 5.56mm bullet, the type used in assault rifles around the world."

"Does this mean other people know about this place?" asked Chie.

"How is that possible?" asked an elegant girl in red, Yukiko Amagi. "Wait, could this mean there are other people with our power?"

"We don't know for sure. We should investigate this location more thoroughly before we draw any conclusions," suggested Naoto.

The Investigation Team continued to search the immediate area, but couldn't find anything they did not already know about. They decided to head back home to rest before meeting again tomorrow to contemplate this mystery further. As Naoto exited Junes' doors a strange yellow butterfly flew by before her, moments before vanishing into thin air. Naoto stared at the area for a few seconds afterwards, wondering if she was just seeing things.

That night, as she laid down to sleep, she fell into a strange dream. In it, all was darkness, surrounding her on all sides. A single blue door lit up, casting the only light which pierced the engulfing blackness. Drawn to it, Naoto opened it and stepped through. She found herself in a concrete room lined with blue velvet. A large map hung on the far wall, showing the positions of military forces across the Japanese islands. From the appearance of the room, it was a general's office within a military command centre or bunker.

A DVD player on a table to the left blared out opera music sung by a soprano. Despite the music, Naoto could hear what she believed were gunshots ringing outside, somewhere in the distance. Something screeched loudly before booming deafeningly, shaking the bunker and dislodging dust. The gunshots continued to ring out as the war outside raged on. There were two people seated behind a desk each and both maintained their composure as though nothing had happened.

The leader of the two was a short, impish old man who had a long pointed nose, and wore a grey suit with a handkerchief in its breast pocket. He sat behind the larger desk at the centre at the far end of the room. His assistant was an attractive, mature woman who was dressed in a blue military clerk uniform for women. The blonde woman also wore a matching beret on top of her curly hair. The woman sat behind the smaller desk, which had a laptop on it. She appeared to be the impish man's secretary.

"Ah, it seems we have a new guest. Please, have a seat," said the impish man, pointing invitingly to a free chair before his desk. Naoto sat down and the man continued to address her. "Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor and I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. To my left is my assistant, Margaret."

"Hello," greeted Margaret.

"Velvet Room?" asked Naoto.

"Yes, this place exists between the world of thought and reality. Only those bound by a contract may enter this room. Since you are here, it seems you have quite a destiny before you, but please, do introduce yourself."

"I'm Naoto Shirogane," replied Naoto. "...But I haven't signed anything. How can I be here?"

"Your unique destiny is the very contract that binds your soul," continued Igor. "You are just like our previous guest. I believe his name was Souji Seta." When Igor told her that, Naoto's eyes widened in shock. Was Souji actually in this place, just like she was now, during all those times he went off alone into a corner?

Igor continued his speech. "Your destiny has granted you a new ability, the Wild Card, an ability he also held. With the Wild Card, you are not limited to one Persona. You can change your Persona in battle whenever you like. My assistant and I will help you develop this power so you may fulfil your destiny, but you must abide by the terms of the contract. You must assume responsibility for every choice you may make in the future."

"Very well," agreed Naoto. "How can you help me?"

"I can fuse Personas you have obtained to create powerful new Personas," replied Igor. "Margaret?"

"I will store any new Persona you discover in my laptop. Speak to me if you wish to recall any of them," informed Margaret.

Igor faced Naoto and conjured a shining blue key out of thin air. "Now, take this key." Naoto reached out and grabbed this key, the Velvet Room's key, and pocketed it. "With this key, you can meet us again whenever you wish. Now, it's time we take a look at your future."

Igor materialized a tarot card deck on his desk. With a wave of his had, seven cards came from the top of the deck with one in the centre while the other six surrounded it in a circle. Igor flipped over one of the cards to see Naoto's near future. The card depicted a tall tower on it. Lightning had struck this tower and it was aflame as people plummeted out of it to their deaths. "The Tower in the upright position. This means that a catastrophe will be coming in the near future."

Igor flipped a second card to see what happened afterwards and drew an ominous card. It had a picture of a skeletal figure on it, holding a scythe. "Death in the upright position... This card represents transformation and cycles. A big change is coming. It seems you might be changed or that you might be a catalyst for change in the future." Igor returned the cards to his deck. "This concludes our meeting. The next time we meet, you'll come here of your own accord. Until then, farewell."

Tuesday March 27, 2012

Darkness and silence consumed the world. Naoto suddenly opened her eyes and found herself in her bed. The alarm clock was ringing loudly and she bolted up and shut it off. She was in her room and everything that had taken place in the Velvet Room seemed like it was just a dream. As she reached for her clothes, she remembered the Velvet Room key and checked her pocket. It was there, exactly where she had put it in her dream. Maybe it was not a dream after all?

She quickly put on her clothes and rushed out to do her chores for the day. As she walked down the streets, pondering the Velvet Room, she approached a shop which had a set of samurai armour on display out front. It was Daidara's shop, which the team had frequented to purchase weapons and armour while last year's murder spree went on. All of a sudden, a large blue door with golden designs flashed into existence to the left of Daidara's entrance.

The door glowed brightly, seemingly beckoning to her. Naoto looked around, but everyone simply walked on by, as though they could not notice the door. She concluded that she was the only one who could see it. The Velvet Room key started to glow in her pocket, as though indicating that it wanted to be used on that door. However, Naoto had no reason, nor the time to spend in the Velvet Room at the moment. After making a mental note of the location, she left to do her chores.

* * *

><p>Friday March 30, 2012<p>

The day had arrived. Rise Kujikawa, who had provided support for the Investigation Team, now had to leave to return to her career as a teen idol. The team gathered at the train station in the north part of town to see her off. Just a mere few days ago, they had done the same for another friend, Souji Seta, at this very spot. Since their coming, the whole team had went on many adventures while investigating the murder spree in Inaba. The Investigators had developed strong bonds and friendships with nobody wanted them to leave.

Rise gave hugs to everyone she knew in the Investigation Team, starting with Yosuke and going on to Naoto. "I'll miss you all," said Rise, breaking into tears. "I don't wanna go, but I have no choice. Seeing you all here is making this so hard. I'll keep in touch as much as I can and I'll come visit during holidays."

"I'm looking forward to it," remarked Yosuke, smiling.

Kanji smiled as well. "Yeah, until then..."

"Take care," said Chie.

"Text us whenever you can," said Yukiko.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stay to help you finish this case," lamented Rise. "Good luck with it and tell me how it goes."

"Don't worry, my nose will show them the way. The nose knows," assured Teddie.

Rise went into the train and opened the nearest window. As the train pulled out of the station, her friends chased after the train, waving goodbye to their friend. Soon, the train moved so far ahead that they could not see her anymore. Rise sat on her seat with smile, thinking back to all those good times together. She remembered how she came to Inaba on break from showbiz. She then thought back to how she met the guys, who had come to warn her about the murders, moments before she got taken. She had so many wonderful memories, that she vowed to sear them into her mind, so as to not forget.

Back at the station, the Investigation Team watched as the train disappeared in the distance. "There goes Rise," muttered Yosuke.

"Yeah, I hope her comeback makes headline news," remarked Chie.

"It's time we left," suggested Naoto. "School will start in about a week. We'll be very busy."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	3. Fool 3:  A New Case

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 3: A New Case **

Sunday April 1, 2012

After the defeat of the Abaddon, the Survivors continued to develop their base of operations in the Shadow world. Fushimi had picked out a nice quiet neighbourhood to the northeast of Inaba, just south of the train tracks which joined the town with others. When they had first found this location, it was vacant. Whoever had once lived here had abandoned the homes, leaving the furniture and appliances behind. Even more surprising was that the appliances and electronics still worked, despite no sign of people to operate the electrical grid.

Outside, buildings at each corner of the neighbourhood had been turned into guard posts. At the top of one of these lookout posts, the roof of a convenience store, soldiers milled about with demonic allies. From the roof of the building, the soldiers had a clear view of the street below, including the abandoned houses. The soldiers and the Survivors had put the homes to use as shelter between missions. In one of these homes, was Atsuro, Yuzu, and Saemon.

Saemon was seated at the dinner table in the kitchen, eating some noodles. Yuzu was on the sofa, trying to watch television. She hit buttons on a remote to change channels, but all that came up was static. "Atsuro, can you check the TV set? All I'm getting is static," she requested.

Atsuro took the remote from Yuzu and tried to fiddle with it, but could not get a concrete signal. He approached the TV set and gripping the top, peered over at the back. As he looked over at the cables, his thumbs touched the screen and then caused a water-like ripple to fan out. His thumbs sank into the screen, disrupting his balance. "What?" asked Atsuro, trying to regain his composure.

"Atsuro, your thumbs went into the screen!" cried Yuzu.

Atsuro cautiously moved his hand towards the TV. As he touched the screen, the rippling effect fanned out again. Cautiously as usual, he tried to push his hand in, and to his surprise, it sank into the screen! "Whoa!" he said as he pulled his hand back.

"What's on the other side?" asked Yuzu.

"Don't know, couldn't feel anything," replied Atsuro. He reached in again and felt around, catching ahold of something hard on the other side. Feeling around, all he could find was plastic, and it seemed to surround a rectangular area on the other side. As he felt towards the left, he got ahold of some objects which he could turn. They felt like control knobs. "I think my hand is coming out of a TV screen on the other side." He reached below and around, coming into contact with a cool metallic object. "It feels like its on a metal platform, like a shelf..."

Saemon looked up from his meal and noticed the two of them fiddling with the TV set. "What's going on?" he asked.

"My hand can go through the TV screen. It seems like it's a portal to another TV somewhere else," replied Atsuro. "I can't learn much until we check out the other side. There wasn't anything dangerous there, but I think we should cover them up so nothing dangerous can come through. We'll send some demons over tomorrow."

"Okay," replied Saemon.

"Ah, I wanted to watch TV!" lamented Yuzu.

After this incident, the team gathered every TV set in the neighbourhood and stockpiled them in one of the unused houses. They set all of the TVs face down on the floor on top of a spare blanket. Should anything try to come through, the floor would block its path. The next day, Atsuro and friends flipped over their TV set. He summoned a pixie and sent it through. The little fairy returned through the screen a few seconds later. "There's an abandoned electronics store on the other side. The store is in a run down shopping strip in a Japanese town."

"I see, so that means there's another world on the other side," said Midori.

"If that's the case, then maybe we should begin searching there too," suggested Atsuro. "The rogue summoners might be operating there. If I'm right, then they might be summoning demons to this side so they don't attract attention on the other. We can set our comps to track summoning signatures and trace their origin. Saemon, I think you should carry one just in case."

"Okay," he replied. "Send the pixie to explore the other TVs."

One by one, the pixie entered the screen of each TV set. After returning from the final one, she reported to her masters. "That's the last one. All these TVs go to the same town, Inaba."

"If we are going to explore the other side, we should enroll in high school as a cover," suggested Keisuke.

"Good idea," replied Saemon. "The electronics shop seems like the safest place for us to leave and enter the other world. We should acquire ownership of it so that it's secure."

"Ooh, a secret base!" remarked Midori.

The Survivors reported their findings to Fushimi, who was quite impressed with this plan. "I see, good idea. This will let my men focus efforts on this side. I'll purchase the deed to the land immediately. How are you going to create your covers on the other side?"

"I was thinking of hacking into the computers of a local high school to register us as transfer students," informed Atsuro. "I'll still need to name someone as our guardian."

"Let me do it," volunteered a long-faced woman in her twenties with dark blue hair. This woman was the Survivors' nurse and dressed accordingly in a white lab coat. She was Mari Mochizuki.

"Okay then, that's settled. All you have to do is find a suitable high school," remarked Fushimi. "Good luck!"

* * *

><p>Monday April 9, 2012<p>

A new school year dawned at Yasogami High, nestled in the wilderness northwest of the town of Inaba. Dozens of students in their black uniforms travelled to the school to start high school of 2012. As they travelled, they gossiped about life and the latest activities of celebrities on TV. Among this group were the Survivors, working to establish their covers in the real world. "So, what's this school like?" asked Yuzu.

"Like any other school, I guess. Inaba is a small town, so it's not as busy as Tokyo," replied Keisuke. "I just hope this cover works. If they find about us, we're in big trouble."

"Don't worry," he replied. "I took extra precautions. Let's focus on finding those summoners."

When they reached the school interior, it was the same as any of the standardized high schools in Japan. It had a front lobby with a locker area for shoes. On the opposite wall was a notice board posted with events happening around the school. Students were pouring in and changing into special shoes in a locker area before entering the school grounds. Saemon and company changed shoes just like the other students. Yuzu and Atsuro came up beside him to secure their shoes in nearby lockers.

However, Yuzu, being quite an attractive girl, proved to be quite popular. One of the guys struck up a conversation with her. "Hey, you're pretty cute, I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?" asked the male student.

"Yuzu," she replied.

"Yoohoo, hurry up or we'll be late!" called Atsuro, saving her from being grilled by the guy.

"Hey, don't call me 'Yoohoo!'" cried Yuzu as she ran after Atsuro and Saemon.

Upon entering class 3-2, all of the students took seats and started gossiping. Saemon's group looked over their papers and found their seats near the wall opposite the window. As they waited for the homeroom teacher to come, they wondered who she was. Their papers listed their teacher as being Noriko Kashigawa. Some students nearby happened to be talking about her, so Saemon decided to keep quiet as he eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Who's our homeroom teacher this year?" asked Yosuke.

"It's Ms. Kashigawa again..." lamented Chie, letting out a sigh of exasperation.

"Oh, not her again!" groaned Yosuke, slumping onto his desk. "...And I thought King Moron was bad."

At that moment, a well-kept, attractive woman entered the room. She had a sultry, seductive look upon her face. The top of her pink blouse was unbuttoned and open, showing a buxom chest and ample cleavage. She was a very voluptuous woman and unafraid to flaunt it. Ms. Kashigawa took the front and called for the students to be seated. As they faced her, she felt quite a kick out of being the centre of attention, especially by the male students. The bell rang just a few moments afterwards.

"Hello class and welcome to the new school year," began Ms. Kashigawa. "We have some new transfer students so let's take the time to give them a warm welcome to Yasogami High. Come up and introduce yourselves."

Saemon's and friends took the front of the room and introduced themselves, beginning with Saemon and ending with Yuzu. The students started to gossip about the three, noticing how casual they seemed to be with each other. While Saemon and Atsuro were dismissed as regular guys, the male students of 3-2 were quite taken with Yuzu, just like the boy at the shoe lockers. Already, they started to gossip about her, such as whether she had a boyfriend and if not, how to pick her up.

"Wow, what a rack!" gossiped a male student with short black hair.

"Oh yeah, now that Rise is out of the running, looks like Ai and Yukiko have some new competition," said a brown-haired boy.

"Wow, what a hottie!" remarked Yosuke, smitten by Yuzu as well.

"Knock if off! I don't see what's so great about her," remarked Chie, having heard Yosuke's comments.

Class went by as normal for the first day of school, with the teachers introducing themselves and the classes they taught for the year. The day went by rapidly and school ended. When the Investigation Team reunited at Junes, it was at this moment that Naoto decided to talk about her experiences in the Velvet Room with Igor. "Are you saying you now have the same power as him?" asked Chie.

"Yes, just like Souji," replied Naoto. "I'm sure there's a reason for this. If the murder case last year is any indication, I suspect we'll get a new case to solve soon."

"A new case? You mean more murders in Inaba, after all we did to solve the first one?" asked Kanji. "Man, that sucks!"

"Wait a minute, we don't know for sure if this case will even involve murder," said Yukiko.

"I don't know," said Yosuke, with an unconvinced tone. "If the Shadows are involved, we can't rule out new murders. It could be a new person throwing people over to the other side."

"I doubt we will find anything of interest so soon. Since the case has yet to officially start, there's nothing we can do now but wait," said Naoto. "Hopefully, we can end it quickly so as few people as possible are harmed."

* * *

><p>Friday, April 27, 2012<p>

The first few weeks of school had gone by without incident. As a warm spring night fell upon Inaba, the gangs and lowlifes of the town took to the streets. One such hoodlum, a leather-clad boy in his teens, sauntered down the streets. The boy held cigarette between his lips as he walked along, his smoking giving him a sense of relaxation. As he approached an electronics store, the ghostly images of cloaked men, horses, and dogs appeared on a TV screen in the display window.

The hounds were barking at him, but the teen was unable to hear them from the other side of the TV. "There he is!" remarked one of the figures.

As the teen hoodlum passed by, the ghosts pounced out of the TV screen, shattering the window! The dogs swarmed the teen, latching on and taking him to the ground with their teeth. One of the cloaked figures plunged a knife into his side. A sting pain radiated outward as blood flowed from his wound. The sensation repeated as he was stabbed several more times by the figures. The teen was rapidly loosing consciousness from blood loss and organ damage. Everything was a blur, but the last thing the teen felt was being dragged towards the shop.

Saturday April 28, 2012

The next morning, a woman left her home with broom in hand. She set to work, sweeping the area around her front porch, humming a sweet tune all the while. The dirt and debris slowly accumulated into a small pile. She took a brief moment to stretch and moved her head around to loosen her stiff neck muscles. Her movements brought her gaze to the house across the street, up to the roof, where she noticed something resting on the neighbour's roof. She looked through the rising sun, trying to scrutinize what it was.

Curious, she moved around cast her gazed directly onto a human skull! The flesh had been burnt and chewed off and the eyes were gone, only empty sockets remaining. The skull rested on top of a pile of bones, with flesh all burnt and chewed like the head. "AAAAAH!" she screamed.

Within moments, sirens rang through the city as police officers rushed to the scene. After school, Naoto called a meeting of the Investigation Team. They watched the news from a TV in Junes' electronics department to get the details on what happened. When they were done, they decided to meet in the food court to discuss this grisly new murder. "Whoa, another murder!" remarked Yosuke.

"The victim is believed to be Tetsuo Morino. Security cameras caught him walking down Sakura Street last night. A group of unknown attackers rushed out of an electronics shop and stabbed him," reported Naoto. "He was dragged off screen and had not been seen until this morning, when his body was discovered in a neighbourhood in eastern Inaba. Witnesses described the body as being charred and smelling of fragrant spices. Most of the flesh had been chewed off, leaving the bones. His body was missing an arm and a leg."

"That's creepy," remarked Yukiko.

"From that description, it sounds like whoever killed him had cut him up, cooked him, and ate him," remarked Chie.

"Yes, the police do suspect cannibalism was involved," informed Naoto.

Yosuke wanted to hurl upon hearing that. "Uggg, now I wish I was a vegetarian."

"Do they have a suspect yet?" asked Kanji.

"No, but the police suspect gang involvement in this murder," replied Naoto. "Personally, I doubt this is the work of an ordinary gang."

"Then the Shadows maybe?" asked Kanji.

"Even in the other murders last year, the Shadows left the body intact," remarked Naoto. "I don't think this is the work of Shadows."

"I guess we should have Teddie sniff out the other side," suggested Yukiko. "Maybe he can lead us to a clue."

The Investigation Team entered the TV world, where Teddie started to sniff the air. He picked up the scent of a cooking fire, mixed with the fragrant scent of spices and flesh roasting over a fire. He then led the team to a camp in the middle of the woods in the outskirts of Shadow Inaba. A pair of tents flanked a ring stones at the centre. In this ring was charcoal and burnt wood, a fire which had long been extinguished. The scent of the spices still lingered in the air. The owners of this camp were not present.

"This is the place," announced Teddie.

The group split up and searched for any clues. Kanji walked behind a tree and found a pile of clothes discarded on the floor. Among the clothes was a leather jacket and matching pants, a style that street punks and gang members favoured. He noticed a bulge in the pocket and reached for it, pulling out a brown leather wallet. Kanji pulled out one of the cards in the pocket and saw the name "Tetsuo Morino" written on the card, along with a picture of the victim. Kanji collected the clothing to present to his teammates.

"I found his clothes and his wallet," announced Kanji, presenting them to the team.

"We're in the right place, the nose always knows," boasted Teddie.

"Let's hide for now. We might be able to catch the murderers when they come back," said Naoto.

The team split into two teams of three and took positions behind the trees. They waited for several minutes before hearing some rustling approaching from the distance. A group of ghostly figures in cloaks entered the camp. These men were armed with daggers, bows, and arrows. They also had ghostly dogs and horses with them. From their attire, they appeared to be a hunting party. Following them was a devil-like creature the size of a child. It was dressed in a chef's garb and had a red, devilish face like a moustachioed Frenchman.

Kanji nodded to Yousuke in the distance and the two groups closed in. The dogs smelled them coming and barked loudly, but by the time the murderers realized their situation, they were surrounded. "So our murders are a group of ghosts and a devil?" asked Chie.

"Oh ho ho! Magnifique!" remarked the devilish chef. "Vee have some guests for supper tonight!"

"Yep, I haven't had roasted girl in a long time. They always taste so much sweeter than boys," said one of the Huntsmen.

"Nisroch, I hope you still have room left for tonight," remarked the chief Huntsman. "Men, attack!"

The Huntsmen unleashed their hounds on the team. One went for Kanji, who immediately introduced its skull to a shield. The dog fell to the ground, unconscious and sprawled in a mess. Kanji immediately conjured a tarot card and smashed it with his shield. His Persona, Rokuten Maoh, manifested as a bulky android with flame designs on its body. The Persona wielded a massive scimitar which resembled a flame. Kanji blasted a second dog with a Primal Force, sending the dog flying back to hit a tree.

Yukiko called her own Persona, Amaterasu, which manifested as a woman made of golden light with a metal shawl much like silver wings. Cupping her hands, Yukiko unleashed a blast of flame at an approaching dog. The Huntsmen, seeing all of their dogs defeated, immediately rushed into the fray drawing weapons. One went straight for Yukiko, who parried a slash with her fan. Yukiko backed off to a safe distance and hurled her fan, catching the Huntsman in the face and sending him to the ground. Amaterasu came in and scorched him with searing flame.

Nisroch hurled a cooking knife at Naoto, who darted behind a tree for cover. As the knife returned to his hand, she peeked out and fired a few rounds from her revolver. The Nisroch moved away, causing the bullets to overshoot their mark. He returned to his previous position and exhaled fire. The sheer heat forced her out of hiding and into the open. Nisroch hurled his knife again, but Naoto quickly shot it out of the air. She immediately called Yamato-Takeru, a Persona with a long, bird-like head and a humanoid body dressed like a gendarme in ceremonial uniform.

Yamato-Takeru waved his katana, conjuring several paper talismans around Nisroch. They glowed with a white light which consumed the devil. Nisroch screamed in pain as he was banished from this plane of existence. Nearby, a massive tornado stormed its way into the midst of the Huntsmen, scooping them into the air and battering them about. When they could take no more, the Huntsmen splintered into blobs of darkness and vanished into thin air.

Saturday April 28, 2012

The team met up at Junes to discuss what they had witnessed in the Shadow World. "Just what were those things?" asked Kanji. "I've never seen any Shadows like them before."

"Hmm... I don't think they were even Shadows at all," remarked Teddie. "Normally when I'm around Shadows, I can feel it, but these guys felt different."

"Yeah, didn't they come through the TV to get the victim?" asked Chie. "I've never seen a Shadow do that before."

"That's what scares me. Other than Teddie, Shadows can't come over to this side. These 'things' don't have that limitation. Look how they just came through the TV and grabbed their victim," warned Yosuke.

The Investigation Team pondered the implications of what they had learned about their enemy. Without being limited to the TV world, this new enemy could easily kidnap anyone and escape through a TV to kill them without fear of pursuit. Not only that, their enemy wasn't a single individual like Namatame or Adachi. There were probably more of these creatures out there, all salivating at the thought of preying upon the humans on the other side. This case was proving to be much nastier, with far higher stakes than the one from the previous year.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	4. Fool 4: Nanako in TV Land

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 4: Nanako in TV Land **

Sunday May 6, 2012

It was a quiet day at the Survivor base camp in the Shadow world. The soldiers and staff milled about on the street and in the buildings. The sky, still ever bizarre, burned with a blood-red hue. At regular intervals black, ring-like waves which radiated outward. They had an almost hypnotic quality to it if one stood and stared at it for too long. Above some guard posts, overlooking the street, a pair of guards lazed about, drinking some coffee. It was very quiet and a slow day seemed to be in order.

"Sure is quiet," remarked a soldier.

"Yeah Kenji, it's hard to keep your concentration in this place. The sky is too red. It's really hard on the eyes," remarked the second soldier.

The soldier named Kenji looked away from the main base over to some vacant streets. A large puddle of black ooze started to seep out of a supermarket's doors and onto the street to the west of the camp. Portions of this molasses-like substance floated up and formed into several bizarre black creatures. Some resembled walking, animate tables with masks on their sides. Others looked like large rotund police officers, masked and armed with handguns. Still others were black-skinned clones of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. These bizarre creatures advanced on the camp like a horde.

"We've got hostiles!" remarked Kenji, who grabbed a radio to report the attack.

These creatures, Shadows, approached a chain link fence and tore a hole through it. The soldiers stationed at the lookout posts opened fire on the Shadows. Their guns became aflame and bullet casings spewed out the side endlessly. Kenji targeted a Hulk Hogan clone and opened fired. The bullets struck Hogan, but seemed to bounce off with no effect. Hogan turned to look at him, as though annoyed by some prank. Kenji adjusted a switch on the side of his gun and resumed his fire. A bolt of lightning arced out of the muzzle, blasting the Hogan clone to cinders.

However, the Shadows proved too numerous for the lookouts to stop with their meagre firepower. An alarm sounded in the heart of base, stirring Midori and Keisuke to action. They released demons and rushed ahead, coming face to face with a table Shadow. It was a dinner table with animate kitchen utensils and weapons floating above it. On the side of the white table cloth was a navy blue mask which functioned as the creature's face. The creature rushed forward and hurled his weapons at Midori, who expertly dodged and retreated to make distance between her and the Shadow.

The creature breathed fire, but Midori held out her hand, pulling the flame towards it and absorbing it. Her demon, a black snowman clad in a purple jester's cap rushed forward. "I'll get him, Midorhee-ho!" the demon promised.

The snowman, Black Frost, spewed a massive jet of freezing, snowy wind upon the table monster. The winds froze the creature in a block of ice, neutralizing it completely. "Good work, Black Frost!" cheered Midori. "Hector, you're up!"

A huge, muscular demon with a dozen arms and multiple long faces approached the frozen table monster. This green-skinned demon wore a golden chain with a padlock around his neck. The creature, affectionately called "Hector," was one of the Hecatonchires, the Hundred-Handed, because of his numerous hands. With his massive, superhuman strength, Hector hoisted the frozen table overhead and hurled it into the crowd. It bowled over countless Shadows, destroying them and the frozen table, in one fell swoop.

Keisuke sicced a jackal-headed deity upon another group of Shadows. The deity, Anubis, held out a set of scales at the group, which promptly tilted to the right side. Pillars of white light unleashed divine retribution upon the Shadows, totally annihilating them all. "They're starting to thin out," remarked Keisuke, observing the advance of the Shadows start to slow. "We've got'em."

Black Frost froze the last few Shadows in ice, leaving them helpless and inert. "What are they? I've never seen a demon like these. They look very tast-hee ho!" remarked Black Frost.

"Hector smash masked monsters good, right Midori?" asked Hector.

"You did good!" replied Midori.

Keisuke looked over one of the frozen Shadows. "Let's bring one of these things in. Our scientists might want to study these things."

Monday May 7, 2012

The next day, the Survivors went to school as normal. The students from the local neighbourhoods traversed the streets of Inaba, taking in the sights and fresh country air. Within minutes, all of class 3-2 were seated in class, ready for Ms. Kashigawa to started her lesson for the day. As she droned on, Saemon started to feel a light burning sensation in his chest. At first, he attributed it heartburn caused by something he had eaten for breakfast that didn't go down right. He ignored it and continued to listen the lesson.

As the minutes went by, it was clear that the sensation wouldn't go away. It even started to hurt. It became more of a tearing sensation, like something was trying to rip open his very being and escape from his chest. He soon clutching at his chest, trying to soothe away the pain. However, other students started to notice how severely his pain was, especially Ms. Kashigawa, who had a clear view of him from the front of the room. "Saemon, are you alright? You don't look well. You should see the nurse."

"Ms. Kashigawa, I don't think he can make it on his own. Let me take him," offered Atsuro.

"Okay, make sure he gets there as soon as possible," said Ms. Kashigawa.

Atsuro slung Saemon over his shoulders and guided him down stairs to the first floor. "Saemon, what's the matter?"

"It's the Bels. They've become active again," he replied.

"The Bels?" asked Atsuro.

"Yes, they're trying break free of my body," informed Saemon. "I'm trying to hold them in, but I don't know how long I can last."

Atsuro brought him to the nurse's office and told her about Saemon's chest pains. The nurse asked him a barrage of questions, but not even she could figure out what was wrong with him. "I'll take Saemon to a doctor. Let Ms. Kashigawa know that I'm gone," said Atsuro.

Atsuro immediately took Saemon to the electronics store, where they used the TV to return to base. He brought Saemon to Mari, the unit's nurse and medic, who made a thorough examination of him. Atsuro told her what Saemon had told him earlier. "This isn't good. If the Bels break free, they'll cause a whole lot of trouble."

"GAAAAAH!" screamed Saemon as a nimbus of white light appeared on his chest.

A shiny, silvery, and muscular arm suddenly reached out from the nimbus and grabbed Mari by the throat. Atsuro grabbed the arm, trying to wrestle it off, but the arm's owner immediately slammed Mari into him, knocking him to the side. He immediately hurled Mari across the room and emerged from Saemon's chest. The man was a humanoid demon who was wrapped in chains. This long haired demon was Beldr, an incarnation of the handsome Norse deity Baldur. He was also one of the former competitors for the King of Bel and the very first one Saemon had vanquished.

Beldr quickly rushed to the window and smashed through, scattering broken glass everywhere. A second demon emerged from Saemon, this one looking quite reptilian with reddish skin and a humanoid face. The demon, Belial, landed on the ground and rushed for the same window and fled. Soldiers and demons came over to investigate, moments after the two Bel demons had fled the area. They found Atsuro and Mari recovering from the incident in the damaged room.

"What happened here?" asked one of the soldiers.

"Belial and Beldr broke free from Saemon," replied Atsuro, dusting himself off. "Tell Fushimi to send scouts. We have to find out where they went immediately."

* * *

><p>Sunday May 13, 2012<p>

The sun started to set over the city of Inaba, turning the sky an orangy-red colour. Even as night approached, people still came in and out of the massive department store of Junes, nestled in the heart of downtown Inaba. The grocery department was as busy as ever, with the bar code sensors ringing as cashiers scanned food item after item. Into this store came a cute Japanese girl with her father. The girl had brown hair tied into a pair of pigtails by ribbons. The ribbons were pink, a colour she favoured in her matching clothing.

Her dad followed behind her and was a somewhat scraggy man. He had noticeable stubble on his chin and face and had unkempt hair. Despite that, he wore a fairly clean grey shirt and a red tie. The man was Ryotaro Dojima, a detective of the Inaba Police Department, the local police force. He had brought his daughter, Nanako, over to her favourite store to do the grocery shopping for the week. As they browsed through the store, Nanako picked out the items her family needed to restock back home.

As they entered the meat department, Yosuke was there, restocking the shelves with packaged cuts of beef and pork. Yosuke noticed them coming and started a conversation. "Oh, hi Nanako! Doing the shopping again?"

"Uhuh, I brought Daddy with me again," replied Nanako. "We ran out of beef at home."

"Good time, we're having a sale on sirloin steaks today," informed Yosuke. "Better grab'em while you can, they're going fast."

"Really? Good! I'll pick some up," assured Nanako.

"So, how have you two been getting along?"

"Quite well, to be honest," replied Dojima. "I've been taking more days off, especially on Sundays, to spend time with my daughter."

"That's good. Spend as much time as you can," said Yosuke. "Work sucks you know."

Dojima chuckled. "Yeah, I'm not surprised to hear you say that."

Yosuke smiled. "Yeah, I gotta get back to work. Don't stay out too late. The news said it might rain tonight."

After their shopping trip, the Dojima family returned home and stocked up their shelves with their purchases from Junes. Night had fallen and the two turned in early for the evening. As midnight approached, both father and daughter were sound asleep in their beds. The rain pattered against the roof of their house, yet almost had a soothing rhythm to it. A mysterious figure in a red cloak approached the Dojima home, skulking in the shadows to avoid being detected. He hovered up to the second floor, right by Dojima's window and looked in. Having not seen what he wanted, he went to the next window.

Inside, the figure saw Nanako, fast asleep on her bed. "Ah, she'll make an excellent friend for the little mistress."

* * *

><p>Monday May 14, 2012<p>

Dojima groggily came down the stairs to his living room, but saw no one working in the kitchen as he normally would. Nanako was usually up by this time, preparing breakfast for the two of them for the day. Not only was Nanako not there, the stove was cold and the utensils were still in the drawer. Neither showed any signs of having been used recently. He went up to Nanako's room and knocked on the door. "Hey open up sleepy head! You need to make breakfast."

Dojima received no response. He decided to open the door and found only an empty bed and an open window in Nanako's room. Nanako's bed covers were open, but the bed itself was cold to Dojima's touch, which meant that she had been gone for quite a while. Dojima decided to call various people to find out if Nanako had went to them as part of something like an emergency. The first person he called was Yosuke on his cell phone. "No, Nanako hasn't come here. Is Nanako not home right now?" he replied groggily.

"Yeah, she wasn't in her bed when I checked earlier," replied Dojima. "I don't know where she is. She never said anything about leaving early today."

"I'll call my friends," assured Yosuke. "I'll get back to you later. In the meantime, see if anyone else has seen her."

"Okay thanks. Let me know if you find anything," said Dojima, before hanging up. He proceeded to call everyone he and Nanako knew, but nobody knew where she was. Even Yosuke's friends did not know where she was either, after he called back to inform Dojima.

At lunch at Yasogami High's roof, Nanako's disappearance became the major topic of conversation. "So nobody knows where Nanako is?" asked Yukiko.

"Nope," replied Yosuke. "Nobody knew when I asked Dojima as well."

"Dojima ordered the police department to start searching for Nanako. With so few clues, I doubt they will make any progress," admitted Naoto.

"Do you think that some 'thing' came over from the other side and took her?" asked Chie.

"We can't rule out that possibility," admitted Naoto. "Teddie has been checking the TV world, but still hasn't found anything yet."

"I hope he finds something soon. These monsters aren't as predictable as the Shadows. There's no telling what they might do to her," commented Kanji.

School came and went, but Teddie still couldn't find anything that could crack the case and neither could the Inaba Police Department. The sun started to set and day turned to night. Soon, midnight came along with a downpour of rain. The water droplets pattered against the streets and roofs of the homes in the city. Safe at home, Yosuke yawned and prepared to go to sleep for the evening. The television set started to buzz and an image formed, even though it was off.

"The Midnight Channel," Yosuke said mentally.

The image was of a table with a white cloth covering it. Laid out on this table were plates, utensils, a few teapots and cups, as well as several sweet pastries. Several figures were seated at the table, enjoying a tea party. The figure at the head of the table was a blonde Caucasian girl about Nanako's age. She was dressed like the title character of the book "Alice in Wonderland." Alice poured some tea into a cup and daintily drank it. The camera panned over, showing the other figures more clearly as they did the same.

One of the figures, a man with a sunken face, poured a cup of tea for the last person, Nanako. The man had grey lifeless skin and a mouth which had been sewn shut. The stitches were plainly visible as "x" marks across his lips. He looked like he was a corpse which had been unearthed and given life by foul black magic. "Here's your tea," said the man.

Nanako seemed quite withdrawn, not willing to speak to anyone. In fact, she quite terrified, to the point of speechlessness. From the look on her face, she was practically begging someone, anyone, to get her out of there as soon as possible. She did not respond to the zombie-like man when he spoke to her. "Hey! Say 'thank you' to Uncle Nebiros!" scolded the blonde girl.

"Thank... you..." peeped Nanako, too terrified to speak coherently.

The camera panned over, revealing that the two guests nearest to her were a pair of charred corpses! Through foul black magic, these corpses moved on their own, animated by either Nebiros or the demon seated across from him, the red, reptilian Belial. One of the corpses appeared to be a woman in her mid-twenties before being burned. The other, from her smaller size, likely used to be a girl no older than Nanako herself.

The adult woman zombie, slowly picked at a plate of cake. "Ugggh..." she groaned. She slowly got a piece onto her fork and attempted to move it into her mouth, but hit her nose instead. Despite that, she continued to try to force the fork into her nose, too uncoordinated to know why she couldn't eat her cake. Belial quickly corrected her, guiding her fork into her mouth.

"Drink your tea. You don't want it to get cold," scolded Alice. Nanako reluctantly complied.

Yosuke couldn't believe what he was watching. He eventually broke out of his spell to call Chie. "Chie, it's Yosuke. Did you watch the Midnight Channel? Nanako's on it!"

"Yeah," replied Chie. "I can't imagine what she must be thinking. She must be scared out of her mind."

"Once Teddie finds out where she is, I'm rushing over there and I'm going to tear that place apart! I'll skip class if I have to," stated Yosuke. "After seeing that, I can't leave her there with those monsters."

"Okay, count me in," said Chie. "I'll tell Yukiko and Kanji. You tell Naoto and Teddie what we have planned."

* * *

><p>Tuesday May 15, 2012<p>

Morning classes came and went for the Investigators. Lunch time came and Yosuke received a call from Teddie on his cell phone. The bear had announced that he knew where Nanako was being held. After gulping down their lunches, the Investigation Team quickly rushed to Junes' electronics department. Inside the TV world, Teddie quickly led the group through the world, right to a black iron gate which barred the road leading to a great white mansion.

"This is the place, Nanako's in there," informed Teddie.

Kanji quickly summoned Rokuten Maoh and blasted the gate down with a Primal Force. The iron bars went flying into the front lawn of the house, attracting monsters to investigate. A pair of creatures resembling star fish rushed to the scene. Being likely that they were security guards, they pointed at the broken gate, then the team, before attacking. Naoto shot each of them and the team rushed to the front door. Kanji once again blew the door down and the team burst into the central hallway and rushed to the dining room.

There, they saw Nanako seated at the table again, having a tea party with Alice, the zombie-like man, the human-faced devil, and the charred animate corpses. "How rude!" proclaimed Alice, as the zombie man and devil rose up to block the team's path.

Nanako looked and saw the team. She was quite relieved. "Yosuke, Chie, everybody!"

"Nanako, we're here to rescue you!" said Yukiko. "Hang on!"

"No! I won't let you take my friend away!" screamed Alice defiantly as she left her seat. "Belial, Nebiros, stand aside. I will get rid of them myself!"

A dark aura surrounded the little girl, as she tapped into the incredible magical powers hidden within her being. A massive swirling vortex of darkness opened in the ground. "Stay back!" cried Naoto, who moved before the vortex to block it. Wisps of darkness lashed out at her and the Persona, but their natural immunity to death magic rendered them unharmed from the soul-devouring darkness.

"That's a Mudo spell," said Teddie. "If that thing swallows us, we're done for!"

Alice's guardians flanked her, staying near her to guard their little mistress as she unleashed her unholy wrath. The vortex started to enlarge by centimetres, threatening to engulf the whole room and the Investigation Team. Although Naoto and Takeru were able to block the vortex and protect the others, at the rate it was expanding, the whole room would be engulfed, along with the Investigation Team. A small blob slipped past, but Takeru grabbed it and crushed it with his bare hand.

"Naoto!" cried Nanako. She was fearful for her friends. "If only I could do something!" she thought to herself.

"Thou art I and I am thou," whispered a soft female voice much like her own. Nanako looked around, but could not find who was talking to her. Apparently, only she had heard the voice. "We are the same. Your heart's deepest desire to help your friends has awakened me." She looked around and saw a tarot card descend before her. "I am Cherub, the Sustainer of the Throne. Call my name and destroy this card to unleash my power."

"Come out, Cherub!" cried Nanako as she ripped the tarot card in half.

A Persona which bore the likeness of a female angel appeared. The blonde angel had golden, feathery wings and was dressed in dark violet robes with a matching cylindrical mitre. She was seated on a golden throne which had armrests with carvings of an ox and a lion. Above the backrest was a carving of an eagle. "Look!" cried Teddie.

"It's a Persona and... Nanako's summoning it?" asked Kanji, hiding behind Naoto.

Cherub waved her hands and a set of paper talismans surrounded Alice. They glowed with a golden light, surrounding Alice with a bright white light. The light started to disrupt her being, attempting to consume her body and thereby drive her out of this plane of existence. Being vulnerable to this light-based magic, it took everything Alice had to keep from being banished. She could no longer maintain the black vortex. "Help me!" she called out.

"Get her!" said the zombie-like man as he turned to attack Nanako.

"Oh no you don't!" cried Kanji, who immediately fired a Primal Force.

The pink beam tore into the zombie-like man's back, ripping him into blobs of darkness which dispersed into thin air. At the same time, Alice could hold out no longer. "Nanako, I thought we were friends!" was all she could muster before the light consumed and banished her from this plane.

As the light subsided, all that remained was Belial, the human-faced devil. He looked for Nanako, who had slipped by under the cover of the light and regrouped with her friends. Though Nanako's escape angered him, the deaths of Alice and Nebiros had absolutely enraged Belial. "You killed Alice and Nebiros! You'll pay!" he vowed, glaring at the Investigation team.

Belial conjured a trident and advanced on the team. He approached Yukiko, who was the closest to him at the time. She immediately cast an Agi spell at the devil, but Belial let the fire hit him without flinching. Belial immediately thrust the trident forward, forcing Yukiko to sidestep. Belial tried again, but Yukiko leapt over his attack, her jump empowered by her Persona. She landed near Yosuke, who was getting ready to launch his attack.

"Fire won't work on him. Use ice instead. He is weak to it," informed Nanako.

"Got it," replied Teddie.

"We've got you covered," assured Kanji.

"Get ready, Teddie," said Yosuke.

Kanji channelled a Zio, or lightning, spell at Belial. The devil held his trident forward, using it to parry and dissipate the attack. Yosuke conjured a massive green tornado upon Belial, trapping him within the centre, unable to dodge. Teddie immediately conjured his Persona, Kamui, which manifested as a toy-like, mechanical bear head. Kamui had red paws with golden claws where his ears should be and wore a red cape. His tail was a rocket booster while his face was a like a red and blue bull's eye symbol.

Channelling Kamui's power, Teddie immediately sent the strongest ice spell in his repertoire, Bufudyne, right at Belial. The icy blast froze the devil in a block of ice. "We've got him!" announced Teddie.

Chie launched herself into a flying kick which shattered the devil into pieces on impact. The devil separated into blobs of darkness and dispersed into the air. "Yeah!" she cheered.

Nanako slumped over, fatigued from having to use her Persona so soon after its manifestation. "Nanako!" cried Yukiko, as she rushed up and braced the little girl.

"I'm fine, just tired," replied Nanako.

"It was a rough day for her. Let's take her home," said Naoto.

"Hey wait! What should we do about these zombies?" asked Chie.

The zombies were still seated at the table, trying to eat their cake. Apparently, they had continued to do so even while the confrontion between Alice's family and the Investigators took place. The team gathered to look them over. "Kill... me..." mumbled the zombie woman.

"They were kidnapped before I was. When Belial killed them, he reanimated them as zombies. The only way to free their souls is to destroy their bodies," said Nanako.

"So kill them, in other words..." muttered Naoto. She channelled Yamato-Takeru, casting a Hama spell upon the zombies. As the paper talismans surrounded their bodies, they formed a pillar of light which disintegrated them.

"Thank... you..." said the girl and the woman zombies, before vanishing completely. With their reanimated bodies destroyed, their souls were finally free to move on to the afterlife.

The Team returned Nanako to her father, who was elated to finally have his daughter back safe and sound. "Thank you!" said Dojima appreciatively as he kneeled down and hugged Nanako.

"We're glad to help," said Kanji.

"Yeah, Nanako's a friend too. We wouldn't abandon her like that," assured Yukiko.

"Thank you so much. This is twice you kids have helped me. If there's anything I can do to repay you, please let me know," said Dojima.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	5. Fool 5:  Beldr's Gate

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 5: Beldr's Gate **

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Junes grew ever busy as the clock ticked closer to rush hour. Eager shoppers entered the grocery section, searching high and low for bargains on meat and produce. Among the people headed to the store was the Investigation Team, as school had ended for the day. They had arranged a meeting this day, to talk about the current status of the murder case as well as Nanako's awakening to the power of Persona. Just minutes before the scheduled time, Naoto had decided to drop by to pick up some snacks before heading out to the food court.

Yosuke was there, restocking shelves of cereal as part of his routine. Yosuke noticed Naoto approaching as he reached for a cereal box in a cart. "Hi Naoto, what brings you here?" asked Yosuke.

"Hi Yosuke. I'd like to get some snacks. Do you carry popcorn here?" asked Naoto.

"Of course," replied Yosuke. "We keep the popcorn with the chips and other snacks in the next aisle."

As Yosuke led her to the neighbouring aisle, Naoto noticed a teenaged girl with a shopping looking over the potted plants with a shopping cart. Yosuke noticed that Naoto's gaze was fixed firmly on the girl. "Do you know her?" asked Yosuke.

"Yeah, she's a girl in my class. That's Midori Komaki. She just transferred to Yasogami High when the new school year started," informed Naoto.

"Ah, I remember! She hangs out with Yuzu and the other transfer students from my class," remarked Yosuke. "You know, we should go introduce ourselves." Yosuke approached Midori, who was engrossed in looking over the potted plants. "Hello, do you need any help?"

"Oh yeah, I'm looking for mistletoe, lots of it," replied Midori. She noticed Naoto standing by in the corner of her eye. "Hey, you're from my class aren't you? Naoto is it? Naoto Shirogane?"

"Yes, nice to meet you!" replied Naoto. "This is my friend, Yosuke Hanamura."

Yosuke smiled as he nodded. "Hi, nice to meet you! My dad's the store manager, so you'll see me here a lot. I work here when off school, so if you need any help, you can ask me."

"Oh, nice to meet you. I'm Midori Komaki. I really need to get a hold of some mistletoe. It's for a special occasion."

"Special occasion?" asked Yosuke.

"Can't tell you, it's meant to be a surprise," replied Midori.

"Ah, I see," replied Yosuke. "We still have more in stock in the back. If you're buying in bulk, I'll go fetch some for you."

Midori was smiled in elation. "Thanks Yosuke. That would be wonderful."

* * *

><p>Minutes later, the Investigation Team took seats around a table in the Junes food court. At the top of the agenda was Nanako's awakening to her Persona power. "My Persona can scan enemies for you. It lets me cast Hama or light spells to banish demons and almighty Megido spells to support your offence," began Nanako, explaining her capabilities. "If you get hurt, I can cast Dia spells to heal you. Please take me with you."<p>

"I don't think that's a good idea," admitted Yosuke. "You're too young. These kinds of things are best left to older people like us."

"Losing Souji and Rise really hurt us," stated Teddie. "Nanako's Cherub is far better at scanning and support than I am. We need to take her along."

"Yeah, we're doing fine now, but I don't think that will last. The enemies are getting tougher," said Kanji. "We rushed in there to get Nanako, but that little girl put our backs up to the wall. If it wasn't for Nanako, we might not have gotten out alive."

"I hoped that we could avoid it, but I agree with Kanji and Teddie," said Naoto. "We need her as our support. Now that she has a Persona, she's involved in these things whether we like it or not."

"If we're going to take her along, I think that one of us should hang back and protect her at all times," proposed Chie. "That way, we can keep her from harm. This works out even better because Nanako's Persona is geared for support anyways. She doesn't have a fighting Persona like we do."

"I don't like taking her to the other side at all. But, you guys do have a point. We need someone to provide support and Nanako is the only person who can fill that role," said Yosuke in defeat. "In that case, we'll do what Chie suggested and keep someone near her at all times."

"Good, now that that's settled, our next order of business is to elect our new field leader," said Naoto.

"Easy, since Naoto's has Souji's power and has been acting like our leader so far, let's make it official," suggested Kanji.

The vote passed unanimously, with everyone uttering "aye" to support Naoto continuing to be their field leader. The team moved forward with their meeting to talk about Belial and his allies. "First the Huntsmen and Nisroch, now Belial, Nebiros, and Alice," narrated Yukiko.

"Now that I think about it, Alice looked like this character I saw in a cartoon," remarked Nanako. "It was Alice in Wonderland."

"Oh, isn't that the story with the queen that keeps saying 'off with their heads?'" asked Kanji.

"Uhuh, that's the one," replied Nanako.

"I asked the school's occult club about Belial, Nebiros, and Nisroch and they told me those are the names of three powerful demons," informed Chie. "In Belial's case, he is a prince or king of hell."

"Are you saying that those things we took out were demons?" asked Kanji, perking up in shock.

"Our Persona are named after gods and demons from myth. I don't think it's too far off to think demons can exist too," said Yukiko. "When I think of Belial, he looks like what I would picture a demon to look like."

"Oh man, cannibal ghosts and now demons? This is getting really out there," remarked Kanji.

Yukiko looked up at the sky and saw the sun starting to set in the distance. "It's late. I have to get back to the inn to help clean up. We'll talk about this some other time."

* * *

><p>Thursday, May 17, 2012<p>

Atsuro travelled down the dilapidated central shopping district of Inaba. Since the establishment of Junes, it had fallen onto hard times. Most of the shops were small family business, who just couldn't compete with the selection found in the department store. More than a few of the stores had closed down, leaving boarded and vacant buildings in their place. Of the few stores that remained, one had a set of samurai armour displayed outside, exhibiting the craftsmanship of the proprietor, Daidara himself.

Before he entered the shop, Atsuro took a glance at the armour. It was very well made and sturdy, yet quite beautiful to behold at the same time. Inside were racks of katanas, or samurai swords, and other suits of armour created by Daidara. The interior had an almost reddish hue to it, likely from a combination of the lights and the flame of the forge in the back. The proprietor, Daidara himself, was a man whose right eye had been sealed by scar tissue.

Daidara turned to Atsuro with his one good eye. "Welcome, how may I help you?" he asked.

"Do you take special orders? I'd like a set of knives made from these mistletoe plants," requested Atsuro, as he showed Daidara the potted plants in the cart he was towing. "Can you do it?"

"Of course!" stated Daidara confidently. "I'll need a few days so come back next Saturday night." Daidara wrote down his price, showing the math for everything and the grand total for this job. Atsuro handed over several bills and coins to cover the down payment. He pocketed the receipt and returned the cart to the Survivors base.

Sunday May 20, 2012

At a harbour somewhere in the Shadow world was a great ship, moored to a post at the end of some docks. The wooden ship seemed to shine with a golden light and was of a Viking design. A single mast rose from the centre of the ship, holding sails which propelled the ship forward. Lined along the sides were holders for rowing oars and near them were wooden seats on which sat several men in horned helmets. They were largely idle, waiting for the order to cast sail and leave harbour. This vessel was known as the Hringhorni and was Beldr's personal ship as one of the Aesir's champions.

Beldr himself stood at the rear of the boat, where the ship's commander normally would stay to bark out orders. His rowers were all ghostly Norsemen, the spectral souls of warriors who had fallen in battle and had been granted entrance into Valhalla. They were the Einherjar. Standing on the dock near Beldr were two other members of the Aesir. The first was a purple-skinned man clad in a white cloak and a golden helmet with two long horns. This deity carried a single spear with a spade-like metal tip in his hand. He was Beldr's father, Odin, the All Father and king of the Aesir.

The second Aesir was a muscular man who wore a white cloak and matching boots. On his chest was a piece of scale mail armour and a matching mask obscured his face. His mask had two openings which allowed his long black hair to flow out. This muscular, mighty deity carried a hammer, Mjollnir, which crackled with electricity. This Aesir was the Fury Thor, the God of Thunder. Thor glanced back at the Einherjar, who were loading packages in the ship in preparation for sailing.

"Brother, the Einherjar will be finished loading within the next half hour," reported Thor. "We can..."

A golden, crane-like bird, Vidopnir, descended near Beldr. "Master Beldr, intruders approach the gate!"

At the entrance to the docks was single metal gate, almost like a portcullis in design. The Einherjar, flooded out of it attempting enter battle with several unknown demons which approached the harbour. Beldr's compound was under attack by these demons and their human summoners. Among the demons was the fire giant Surt, the mortal enemy of the Aesir, and the one who incinerated the world during Ragnarok. The Einherjar formed a line to check the advance of their hated enemy. With a single, sweeping slash of his flaming sword, Surt had cut down the whole lot of the ghostly warriors.

Despite the losses, there was no end to the flood of Einherjar. More appeared behind their lines, rushing out to replace the fallen ones. Atsuro leapt out from the invasion force and landed with a diving punch. He struck with such force that the shock wave bowled over several Einherjar. His victims went hurtling back, bowling over yet more allies. They all landed in a heap, but quickly leapt back to their feet to continue the battle. Before they could surround Atsuro, his second demon appeared, covering his exposed rear.

The demon was a voluptuous beauty with long black hair, and purple skin. She was a somewhat muscular woman, an amazon. Since she was topless, everyone had a good view of her body. All she wore was a loin cloth, a belt, and golden anklets, bracers, and tiara. Despite such limited clothing, she cut down two of the Einherjar, far faster than they could react. She was the Brute Yaksini, a fertility goddess from Dravidian mythology.

Yaksini hit two more Einherjar, slicing one in the neck and the other diagonally across the chest. Atsuro punched a third right between the eyes, felling her in one blow. He ducked a blow to the neck and delivered an uppercut to the groin as he stood back up. More Einherjar entered the fray, coming to fill the vacancy left from the fall of the first four. Atsuro could swear that Surt had killed at least one of them during his initial strike. Somehow, that one Einherjar had recovered and was back in fighting condition.

At the boat, Beldr could see his forces battle and hear the grunts, groans, and clanging of steel. "Beldr, we'll take care of the intruders," offered Odin.

"Yes, we can handle them," assured Thor. "Set out for Asgard immediately. We'll commandeer another boat and follow behind once we take care of the invaders."

The two Aesir immediately charged into the fray, leading the remaining Einherjar and other demonic underlings to repel the invaders. From a spot above the battle, Azathoth watched Beldr as he remained behind to ready the Hringhorni for travel. He was not at all concerned about the attacks of the invaders. The Daemon Sultan vanished and reappeared next to Saemon on a hill overlooking the harbour. "Master Abel," addressed Azathoth. "Beldr is on the ship. Shall we kill him now?"

"Hold on... Midori, go in and pin him down. We'll follow for the one-two punch," said Saemon.

Midori released a demon which resembled the Puss in Boots. "Okay Cait Sith, time to give us that speed."

"You gots it, Midori!" said Cait Sith, who channelled power upon her and himself.

The wind itself seemed to flow around their bodies and their legs, making them feel lighter and faster. She and Cait Sith immediately dashed down the hill at breakneck speed, on a beeline straight for the Hringhorni. Moving so fast, Beldr could not make them out as they moved to his back. They combined fire and wind spells peed to drive a powerful flame straight into Beldr's back. Beldr didn't even know what hit him. Midori and Cait Sith's combined assault sank the Hringhorni, sending Beldr into the water.

Beldr immediately leapt out of the water to confront Midori and Cait Sith. "You again?" asked Beldr, upon recognizing Midori.

ﾓYep, that's right. Magical Dolly is back and stronger than ever! In the name of justice, I will crush you!ﾔ boasted Midori as she posed and pointed to drive the point home.

Before Beldr could do anything else, a cold draft fell over his feet. He tried to move but found his feet frozen in place by a coating of ice. Black Frost suddenly appeared next to his mistress, leaving stealth to see his work. "Go Midorhee-ho!"

Midori, Black Frost, and Cait Sith immediately blasted Beldr with combined Agi, Bufu, and Zan spells. The combined attacks pushed him with such force that they when Beldr was hurled back, he had taken a piece of the pier with him. Moments later, Beldr bounced back to his feet and approached to confront Midori and team. As he did so, he laughed heartily, apparently unfazed by that series of attacks. ﾓThereﾒs no way you can harm me. You canﾒt win!ﾔ

At that moment, Saemonﾒs team teleported into the fray. ﾓWanna bet?ﾔ he dared.

Almighty energy burst around Beldr, disrupting reality and sending black lightning rippling through the air. They hit with such force that they punched a hole into the pier and sending Beldr into the water below once again. Just moments later, he merely jumped out of the water, no worse for wear. ﾓEven almighty and petrification attacks wonﾒt affect me. You donﾒt stand a chance.ﾔ

Azathoth teleported beside Saemon and extended mouths to bite Beldr. Beldr was as hard as a rock, his flesh too tough to bite through. Seeing the attack's ineffectiveness, Azathoth retracted the mouths. Black Frost successfully got behind Beldr and froze his feet to the ground. Saemon closed in and hurled several haymakers strengthened by the vast supernatural powers of Bel. Beldr blocked each devastating hit until one slipped through and caught his gut. Beldr stumbled back, shattering the ice, but was otherwise unharmed.

He laughed at Saemonﾒs futile attacks. "See? You can't do anything to me!" Beldr taunted.

Saemon immediately unleashed freezing snow and wind, encasing Beldr in ice up to his waist. Beldr was immobile. Saemon drew a dagger and impaled him in the gut. ﾓGah!ﾔ gasped Beldr as a black mist, demonic energy, seeped from the wound like blood. "I won't be beaten!"

Realizing that Saemon could hurt him, Beldr busted out of the ice and leapt back to gain distance. He clutched at the wound, which continued to bleed out. He released a dark, reddish-black mist from his hands. Saemon recognized this attack as Vampire Mist and covered up. The evil mist surrounded the King of Bel and his demons, but had no effect due to their innate immunities. Black Frost also proved immune to this cursed mist, but Midori and Cait Sith weren't so lucky.

Pain wracked their bodies as the Vampire Mist bled their strength away. Midori and Cait Sith stumbled to clearer air, covering themselves as they fled from the foul mist. Black Frost stepped before them to shield them with his body. The puncture wound on Beldr's gut started to reseal, using the energy stolen from the mist's victims. Some Einherjar noticed Beldr under attack and pointed Saemon's team. They moved towards the dock, down the street.

Midori saw them after getting away from the Vampire Mist. "I'll get them. Focus on Beldr!" said Midori, as she, Cait Sith, and Black Frost ran to the corner of a tackle shop. Her team blocked the Einherjar, preventing them from advancing any further.

Saemon immediately summoned a demon which entered the area in a burst of blue light. The demon was a red-headed woman with devil wings, a spaded tail, and a beautiful countenance. She was totally naked except for metal bracers on her forearms. She was the Night demon Succubus, the Lady of the Night. Due to her fiery red hair, Saemon called her Scarlet as a nickname. Beldr saw the sinister grin creep onto her face and leapt away rather than risk being trapped in a gruelling melee.

Scarlet flew into the skies to follow him. ﾓYouﾒre not going anywhere, pretty boy,ﾔ said Scarlet with a sultry voice, before swiping at Beldr with extended claws.

Beldr crashed to the ground, knocking up floor boards on the dock. She hurled a fireball after him, hitting him in the chest. Despite previous wounds, Beldr's invincibility nullified any damage, but did not stop him from being stunned. Saemon suddenly appeared next to him and ran the dagger across his throat. "Gahh!" gargled Beldr in agony.

Saemon flipped the dagger and raised it high before plunging it deep into his heart. More dark energy seeped from Beldr and his form broke apart and vanished in blobs of darkness. A trail of white energy emerged from Beldr's decaying body, flowing into Saemon. The King of Bel clenched his fists, bracing himself as the power returned into him. ﾓAlright! Score one for justice!ﾔ cheered Midori as she approached to check on Saemon.

* * *

><p>Upon returning to their base victorious, Fushimi bumped into Saemon's group as he stepped out of the door to the command centre. "Ah Ichihara, just the person I wanted to see. Listen, we've found Belial's hideout, but Belial wasn't there. It appears that someone had gotten there first and wrecked the place."<p>

Fushimi described what his men had seen while scouting Belial's hideout. His aerial recon scouts had discovered a mansion in the northeastern part of Shadow Inaba. It had already been ruined by the time they discovered it, as though it had been raided. There were several blast marks, many of which still released small amounts of smoke. Others still had minor fires burning. Since Belial was a known fire demon, Fushimi decided to put several men on location to investigate what had happened and find any possible clues.

When the men got there, they fanned out to search the area. While the outside had taken severe damage, the interior was a different story. It was largely undamaged, save for one location. Izuna stepped into the dining room and found it severe disarray. Several blast marks were on the floor and walls. Tables and chairs were knocked down with food, drink, and plates scattered all over the ground. It was a veritable mess. Strangely, no one was present, or so they thought at first.

One of Fushimi's men, Lt. Kenji Asano, had heard a tap coming from one of the doors on the second floor. He made a hand gesture to his team to inform them. They gathered around the door and burst in with guns drawn. Inside, they found a single pink demon the size of a child and surrounded him. The dog-faced demon fell down from surprise and held his hands forward, trying to keep the soldiers away from him. The demon, a Preta, was clearly quite terrified to be caught in this situation. Asano questioned the terrified Preta for information, as he might have witnessed what had happened in the mansion.

"The Preta was a servant in the mansion," informed Fushimi. "He had fled the mansion, but came back later once he felt the area was safe to retrieve his possessions."

"Did he see anything?" asked Atsuro.

"Yes," replied Fushimi. "On the 15th, when he went to speak to his masters, he saw them being confronted by a group of teenagers. He sensed danger and immediately hid in the nearby broom closet. Moments later, he heard several explosions and then silence. The Preta looked out from the keyhole and saw the teenagers leaving the mansion. Apparently, they must have killed his masters. One of them was Belial," reported Fushimi.

"A group of teenagers? Like us?" asked Keisuke for confirmation. "What did they look like?"

"The Preta couldn't see their faces. He was too terrified and could only see them through a small keyhole so I don't blame him," reported Fushimi.

"How could they have defeated Belial? Are they demon tamers like us?" asked Yuzu.

"We don't know," replied Fushimi. "When the Preta saw them, it didn't stick around to see what happened next."

"Hmm..." mumbled Saemon, pondering Fushimi's report.

"They must be good guys then," said Midori. "They took down Belial, an evil demon for us."

"Not necessarily," disagreed Saemon. "We don't know who they are or what their motives are."

"Could they be the ones summoning all these demons here?" asked Yuzu.

"It's possible, but we have so little information on them other than the fact that they took out Belial," replied Atsuro.

"Yeah, we should get more information on them before we draw any further conclusions," said Keisuke.

"The Preta also mentioned that Belial and another of his masters, Nebiros, had been bringing in girls from the human world," continued Fushimi. "Their ward, Alice, was getting lonely so they wanted to give her company."

"I see," said Saemon. "Belial and Nebiros must have been responsible for some of the kidnappings and murders in the news. It looks like those teenagers might have known that too and went after them as revenge."

"If you want to ask the Preta, we took him into custody," said Fushimi. "There might be more of the those creatures from the May 6th attack out there. He would be safer with us than at the mansion."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	6. Fool 6:  Naoki's Grudge

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 6: Naoki's Grudge **

Friday, June 8, 2012

After yet another boring day of school where the teachers droned on and on, the Survivors returned to base for the night. "Oh, I so glad to be out of there. Ms. Kashigawa bored me to sleep," said Yuzu. "No one wants to hear about how your love life is such a mess."

Saemon and Atsuro couldn't help but laugh. As the group reached the electronics shop, a sharp tearing pain ripped through Saemon's chest. "Arrggh!" gasped Saemon.

"Not again!" said Yuzu, upon turning around and seeing Saemon in pain.

"Get him to Mari's! Hurry!" stated Atsuro.

The two immediately rushed Saemon to the infirmary, where they placed him in the nearest bed. Saemon convulsed in agony as the Bel demons made their attempt to escape his being. While Mari tended to her patient, Yuzu and Atsuro had summoned their demons and placed them outside on the street, ready for battle. They remembered how it went the last time such an event happened. The last time Bel demons got away, they did great damage to the infirmary.

Within moments, a spark of light appeared on Saemon's chest and out popped a bearded, purple-skinned devil seated on a toilet. This demon was Belphegor, a demon which represented the deadly sin of sloth. Atsuro immediately rushed Belphegor. The demon saw his fist coming and veered his head away. Belphegor shot forward, using his momentum to tackle Atsuro. Instead, a barrier appeared before Atsuro, deflecting the force back to its sender.

Belphegor reeled back from the failed attack. During this time, Yuzu let loose a Bufu spell. Belphegor dodged the icy winds and made a break for the window, shattering it on his way out. "Oh great!" remarked Atsuro, seeing the window broken once again.

However, their demons were outside waiting for him escape. Surt immediately swung at Belphegor, narrowly missing as the Bel demon shifted away. Belphegor immediately blitzed the area with the most powerful Zio spell he could muster. Shocked by the electricity, the Survivors' demons reeled from the damage. Yaksini somersaulted towards Belphegor, bringing her swords down to impale him. He suddenly shifted back, causing her to miss and strike the ground. He lunged forward, knocking her down. At that moment, Atsuro and Yuzu went flying out of the infirmary and landed on the street.

The demon who had thrown them out, Jezebel, emerged from the opening. She was a black-haired demon with an array of yellow spores covering her head and mouth. Her limbs and head were connected to violet rose buds and her elongated body was much like a cross between a plant's stalk and a woman's. She was easily one of the largest demons in existence, on par with the giants. Jezebel saw several muzzle flashes as soldiers fired at her from lookout posts. She also noticed Yaksini coming at her.

Jezebel immediately cast an Agi spell upon her. Fires erupted around Yaksini and she recoiled in pain from the raging flames. The soldiers continued to shoot, their bullets pelting her in the back. Annoyed, Jezebel turned to them an unleashed a stream of flame. The soldiers hit the ground to avoid being incinerated. Jezebel took this opportunity to leap to safety. Just as she thought she would escape, something had latched onto her back. She peered back and saw that a Hecatonchires had caught her.

With the weight of this giant on her, her leap to safety fell short. She landed a just outside the Survivor base perimeter, far too close the base. Back at the infirmary, Midori and Keisuke entered the scene, finding Yuzu and Atsuro dazed on the ground. They immediately applied Dia magic to heal their wounds with white light. "Are you okay?" asked Keisuke.

"Yeah, don't let Jezebel get away!" demanded Yuzu.

"Don't worry, Hector is on it," said Midori.

Jezebel crashed to the ground with Hector still holding on to her waist from behind. The duo rolled along the ground, but Hector maintained his grip, even as they rolled into and crushed a house in the neighbouring block. With a burst of power, Hector lifted her overhead and dropped her head first in a suplex. Jezebel followed through on the momentum to roll onto her front and tried to crawl away. Hector was ready for this and held on, digging his feet into the ground to prevent her escape. He lifted her into a suplex for a second time.

Jezebel's head crashed into the pavement but was still strong and resisting his grip. She tried to unclasp Hector's hands, but his grip was too firm. She starting hurling elbows to his face, but Hector took the onslaught and kept his hands clasped around her. He lifted her for a third suplex, but was too weakened to follow through properly and dropped her prematurely. Jezebel tried to run away again, but Hector got up and pounced at her, getting onto her back. He started dropping fists to the back of her head, until scoring a final, devastating blow which caved in her head.

His fist had smashed it to a pulpy blob of darkness and continued through to the pavement, cracking it severely. The rest of Jezebel's body followed, turning into inky darkness. "Well, score another one for the defenders of justice!" cheered Midori, as she arrived on the scene.

"Good," remarked Atsuro as he approached the area. "With Jezebel gone, that takes a load off of our minds. Belphegor's still on the loose, but for now, we've got some clean up duty."

* * *

><p>Saturday, June 9, 2012<p>

School came and went as was usual. The lectures droned on and on, until lunch time finally gave the students a much needed reprieve. As Yosuke rounded the stairs, he spoke with Chie about odds and ends. "So, what are you having for lunch today?" asked Chie.

"I brought a ham sandwich from the Junes' deli," replied Yosuke. "It's delicious. We make good sandwiches."

At the moment, Yosuke crashed headfirst into another student. "Hey, watch where you're going!" the student yelled angrily. The student was slender boy with curly bleached hair. When he noticed that it was Yosuke that had hit him, he was even more livid. "Oh great, it's you. Of all the... Whatever, I'm leaving."

The student, who Yosuke recognized as Naoki Konishi, left without so much as checking if Yosuke was okay. "Man, what's his problem?" asked Chie.

"I kinda expect that from him. He's Naoki Konishi, Saki Konishi's brother," replied Yosuke.

"Saki? The girl who got killed last year?" asked Chie.

"Yep, he's her brother," said Yosuke.

Yosuke proceeded to tell Chie about when he had first gained the ability to use his Persona. He, Souji, and Teddie had visited the Shadow world version of Konishi liquors, where Saki had been killed by the Shadows. At this location, he had heard Saki's final thoughts before her death. She had harboured resentment, if not hatred, towards Junes and him for causing her family's liquor business to decline. The situation came to a head once Saki decided to work part-time for Junes, something her parents, especially her father, greatly disproved of.

"Then, the murders started and she found Mayumi Yamano's body. The rumours started and I guess everything went straight to hell for them," finished Yosuke. "Konishi's family is still having some difficulties from what I heard."

"Yeah, but he doesn't have to be so rude. I know you're having trouble, but that doesn't mean you can go around acting like a jerk," objected Chie.

"Eh, let's forget about it," dismissed Yosuke.

Later on in the day, Naoki headed out to Aiya Restaurant in the northern part of the shopping district. This store was a small shop which specialized in selling take-out Chinese food. Naoki liked to frequent the store since it was just down the street from his family's liquor store. At the counter was a blue-haired girl in a red apron. The waitress, Aika Nakamura, was the daughter of Aiya's owners. She was also a student of Yasogami, where Naoki attended school.

"Hello Naoki, what would you like?" asked Aika.

"The usual," replied Naoki. "Beef ramen."

As Naoki patiently for his order, a pair of housewives at a neighbouring table were gossiping about odds and ends. One of them noticed Naoki sitting at the stools and made him the topic of their conversation. "That's Konishi's boy, isn't it?" asked the first woman in hushed tones.

"Yeah," replied the second, who was in an apron. "I heard that last year, his sister was a victim in the murders. They say she found the body of the first victim."

"Yeah, poor thing. His family lost so much business ever since Junes opened up. His sister worked part time for Junes before she died, can you believe that?"

"Really? What kind of daughter is she?"

Naoki sighed in resignation. Time and time again, these things happened whenever he was around. It's like he had to be constantly reminded about Saki's death everywhere he went, as though he would forget, as though he didn't care. He couldn't help but feel trapped by the tragedy of her murder. It was a grating and frustrating experience. When his beef ramen came, Naoki was almost unable to finish his meal, but somehow he did, and after clearing his space, he left for his family's liquor store.

That night, Naoki finished his homework and turned on the TV to pass some time before sleeping. When he shut off the TV to change into pyjamas, he had turned his back to the TV. An image of a starfish-like creature appeared on the blank screen. This strange creature had a single eye which stared forward expressionlessly. More creatures like the first appeared on the screen, until they were a small horde. When Naoki finally got his pants on, they leapt out of the screen and latched onto him!

He was shocked and fell face first to the ground. He tried to throw off whatever had grabbed him, but the starfish creature was far too strong to overpower. A second latched onto his mouth, muffling his voice and attempts to scream for help. He tripped and fell, but continued to struggle with the creatures. More of them latched on and started to lift and move him towards the TV set, where they threw him in. Naoki, unable to see what was going on, found himself tossed into a small bedroom meant for a migrant worker. There was a bench and a set of work clothes in an open locker.

"Get changed," commanded the starfish creature. "Tomorrow, you start working for master Belphegor. If you disobey, you will be severely punished!"

Monday, June 11, 2012

The afternoon news blared from the TV as Dojima watched the reporter narrate events. "Police are baffled by the mysterious rash of disappearances sweeping Inaba. Sources suggest there may be foul play involved and the police have not ruled out kidnapping." The news cast scrolled down a list of the victims and their photos. Among them was Naoki Konishi. It also displayed a number for viewers to call if they had any information.

"It's just like what happened to Nanako," Dojima thought, thinking back to how she was taken from her bedroom, right under his own roof.

At that very moment, the Investigation Team were seated around the table in the Junes food court. "So Naoki's been taken too?" asked Chie.

"Yeah unfortunately," remarked Yosuke, before deciding to tell the team about his feelings about the case. "Listen, it would really mean a lot to me if we could solve this case in particular."

"You don't need to say anything more. I with you there, buddy," asked Kanji. "I've known Naoki since we were little kids."

"I'm glad I can count on you," said Yosuke.

"If you're asking us to save him, we were going to do that anyways," said Chie.

"It's more than that," said Yosuke. "His sister was a very good friend. Even though Naoki and I don't get along, I want to do this one for him. When I first gained my Persona, it was where Saki had been killed by the Shadows. By then, it was way too late for me and Souji to save her, so for me, this is a chance for redemption."

"Yosuke..." muttered Chie.

"Hey, don't worry man, don't we always have your back?" asked Kanji rhetorically. "Like I said, I'm with you buddy. We all are."

"Of course," replied Yukiko. "This new case won't change anything."

"We'll make our move once Teddie... There he is!" said Naoto, seeing the mascot bear approach the table.

"Listen, I know where Naoki is," announced Teddie. "I'll lead you to him."

The Investigators followed Teddie through to the other side. He led them to the roof of a warehouse building which overlooked what appeared to be a sewage treatment plant to north. The place reeked so strongly of waste, that several of them had to pinch their noses shut. There were large silos all around the site with a complicated, labyrinthine set of pipes leading from silo to silo. Near the pipes was a set of open air basins for oxidizing pollutants out of dirty water. At the very back was a set of buildings meant to house the facility's administrative functions and equipment for the workers.

In the rear, just before the office buildings, they saw an area where human workers in sealed suits were shovelling sludge from a vat into carts. Other workers would transport these carts to what looked like a pentagram drawn in red paint on the concrete ground of an open yard. The workers would dump sludge into a hole at the centre of this pentagram before returning to retrieve more. There were several monsters stationed around the plant which resembled animate blobs of slime and muck. From their behaviour, the green ones were helping to move sludge while the black ones watch over the site.

"When I found out about this place, I felt fear from the Shadows in the area. I think they might have tried to attack and got beaten badly," informed Teddie.

"No kidding, this place is crawling with guards," observed Kanji.

"We can't rush in there, we'll put the people at risk. We have to be more careful," said Yukiko.

"Hmm... What we need is a distraction," stated Naoto. "If we can lure most of the guards away, another group can sneak in to get the people out. Nanako can you give us some information?"

Nanako sat on the roof cross-legged as though meditating. The Persona Cherub appeared above her, her eyes and those of the animal ornaments glowing gold while they worked. "There's an alleyway to north of the sewage plant. If you can trick them into going there, you can attack them from the roofs nearby without them being able to get you."

Nanako proceeded to scan the monsters weaknesses. The black ones were called black oozes and attacked by using their corrosive bodies to slam and absorb nutrients from their victims. They were immune to death magic and very resistant to physical attacks. However, they were highly vulnerable to electricity and banishment. These black oozes were largely weak as individuals or in small numbers. The green ones were merely green versions of the black ones. They were even weaker than the black oozes. Though they were also resistant to physical attacks, they were vulnerable to fire rather than electricity.

"In that case, Nanako, Kanji, Teddie and I will set up the ambush. Yosuke, Yukiko, and Chie will lead the people back this way to escape," narrated Naoto, detailing the plan.

The Investigation Team split up and took positions around the sewage treatment plant. When Nanako gave the signal, Kanji ran to the sewage plant. By the time the slimes noticed him, he had unleashed a Zio spell. It crackled forward and electrocuted a black ooze, leaving nothing but smouldering ash. His attack infuriated the others, who proceeded to give chase. Kanji made a beeline into the alleyway with the angry black oozes hot on his tail. Once he had led the oozes deep into the alley, he turned to face them.

"Come on assholes! I dare ya to try it!" he shouted at the black oozes. He fired another Zio, taking out a second of their group.

Like fools, the black oozes took the bait Kanji had laid for them. They started to converge on him, thinking that this lone human was an easy mark. Suddenly, a wave of frosty air descended upon them! The sheer chill of the air froze the oozes into place, preventing them from moving. Paper talismans suddenly appeared around other oozes, signalling that a Hama spell had just gone off. Several flickers of white light overtook the oozes, expelling them from this plane of existence. The surviving oozes tried to scatter and run, but were helplessly trapped in the narrow alley.

"The distraction is working. Hurry you guys!" urged Nanako.

Yosuke's group ran into the sewage treatment plant, blasting three of the remaining black oozes with Garu, Bufu, and Agi spells. The oozes vanished in blobs of darkness which scattered to the winds. The green oozes simply fled upon their arrival, being too weak and frightened to fight them. Yosuke came upon a group of workers. "We're here to rescue you, let's go!" he said, goading them into fleeing.

The workers dumped the stuffy masks on their faces and fled from the plant while Yukiko and Chie scanned around for security. One of the workers turned out to be Naoki, as suspected. "You're here?" he asked.

"Yeah, no time to talk, we have to get out of here before more of them come!" said Yosuke, cutting him off.

Naoki didn't say another word as he fled with the rest of the workers. Yukiko led them to safety while Yosuke and Chie remained to defend any stragglers. Nanako scanned for such stragglers, but found none, since everyone had been working outdoors at the sludge pits. Yosuke and Chie quickly fled behind the others. As they and the prisoners escaped into the town of Shadow Inaba, Naoto's team regrouped with them on the way out.

The team led the prisoners back to the TV station area, where Teddie summoned a stack of TV sets to let them escape. "Phew!" remarked Chie. "We made it!"

"Yeah, the prisoners are safe. We can always go later to shut the place down," said Yosuke. "Right now, it's more important that we ensure these people are safe."

As the people entered the TV sets, Naoki was the last one remaining. He had something to say to Yosuke before he went home. "You saved me, even after I had treated you like crap? Why?"

"Your sister was a good friend to me. When the monsters took her, I had no idea what was going on, so I couldn't save her. Now that I know everything and have the power to stop it, I can't stand by and let the same thing happen to you or these other people," stated Yosuke.

Naoki felt like such a heel and a fool now. After all of the hatred and all of the abuse he had hurled at Yosuke, his 'arch-nemesis' still found the compassion and courage to risk his life to save him. "Er... Um... Thank you," said Naoki.

At that moment, something had struck Yosuke in the back of the head. Naoki was shocked, but had caught Yosuke before he hit the ground. When their shock wore off, the two looked at who had attacked him. "Aha ha ha ha ha!" laughed the attacker, an identical twin of Naoki! He laughed with a echoing voice. However, this Naoki was dressed in black leather, like a member of a biker gang.

"Oh no!" said Chie.

"A Shadow!" remarked Yukiko.

"Thank you? As if that's what you're really thinking dumbass!" mocked Shadow Naoki.

"What are you talking about? They risked their lives to save me. What's so funny about that?" asked Naoki.

"Really? The only reason why they did it is because they pitied you. Oh boo hoo hoo, I lost my sister, oh woe is me," mimicked the Shadow mockingly.

"Hey, knock it off! How dare you make fun of something like that!" shouted Kanji.

"You think that is a joke?" asked Naoki rhetorically.

"Of course and you know why? Because you don't feel sad at all," revealed Shadow Naoki. "In fact, you don't feel anything at all. You're a monster. What else could see such things and not feel a single thing? Why try to hide it?"

"You liar! I'm not a monster! Saki's death really hurt me!" cried Naoki.

"Hah! Not once have you ever cried for her, not one single tear. Yes, I know, and you know why? Because I AM you! I know exactly what you're feeling."

"Shut up! Stop spreading your lies!" cried Naoki. "You're not me!"

"Here it comes!" remarked Yukiko.

"Don't worry, we'll kick this Shadow's ass, just like the others," said Kanji, gripping his shield tightly.

The Shadow seemed to enjoy Naoki's anguish. A haze of darkness formed around it, feeding upon Naoki's self-denial. "Hah hah hah hah hah!" it laughed. "Yes, it feels like fire!"

The Shadow grew larger and stronger changing into a creature much like a red-skinned devil. The creature was clad in leather and had hair like Shadow Naoki's original form, only now, it was entwined by chains which kept it trapped on the ground. The devil had great rage within its eyes, but at the same time, seemed to have a hint of sadness as well. The creature cracked a flaming chain onto the ground like a whip. The ground became charred black at the point of contact. Naoki had lost consciousness and almost hit the ground if Yosuke hadn't caught him. Yosuke moved Naoki safely off to the side.

The devil turned to address the Investigation Team. "I am a Shadow, the true self. Can't you see what a monster I am? What are you trying to do, saving the other 'me?' I don't need to be saved!"

"We're not abandoning Naoki now," said Yosuke. "You will not harm him!"

The Shadow said nothing and lashed a flaming chain at Yosuke. He quickly sidestepped and summoned Susanoo, a man in a blue jump suit. A ring-like saw blade rotated around his body, its teeth threatening to slice anything that strayed too close. Yosuke conjured a massive tornado which raced at Shadow Naoki, picking up dirt from the ground as it moved. The Shadow took the attack without flinching. In fact, the Shadow absorbed the attack, which gave it a soothing sensation which helped it recover its strength.

"Don't use fire or wind attacks against him!" warned Nanako. "He absorbs both of them."

"Now she tells me..." remarked Yosuke.

"Don't use any banishment, death, or ailment magic either. They won't work," warned Nanako.

The Shadow lashed his chain, this time at Yukiko. However, she braced herself and took the attack full force, without receiving any damage in the exchange. Before he could fully retract the chain, Yukiko hurled her fan into the Shadow's face. This enraged the Shadow, who rushed in and punched Yukiko into the ground. The Shadow immediately turned to Yosuke and lashed him with the chain, sending him crashing to the ground. Both he and Yukiko got up, with Yukiko casting a Dia spell to heal their wounds.

Chie made her move, smashing the Shadow with God Hand. A massive cloud appeared and parted overhead, allowing a giant golden fist to strike the Shadow. The move hit particularly hard, knocking the Shadow face first into the ground. "Now! Pile onto him!"

The team pounced on the downed Shadow, lynching it with everything they could muster. Even though their assault had done great damage, the Shadow threw all of them off and got up. It proceeded to lash at Kanji, who ducked and narrowly avoided taking the chain to the head. Yosuke cast Sukukaja, producing several illusory clones of the team members. The Shadow could not tell which were real as its gaze darted from clone to clone. Rather than pick one, it breathed flame on all of them, only to burn illusory doubles.

Naoto called on Yamato-Takeru and cast Megido. The almighty spell swirled dark violet energy around the Shadow. Reality crackled with black lightning before the swirl burst and staggered Shadow Naoki momentarily. Teddie took advantage and sent over the most powerful Bufu spell he could muster. The icy winds froze the Shadow within a shell of ice, rendering it immobile. Chie immediately focused her power and dropped it on the Shadow as a God Hand. It hit with tremendous power, dispersing the Shadow into thin air.

Shadow Naoki's original body landed on the ground, wounded from the flurry of attacks. The flesh and blood Naoki regained consciousness and got up to confront his Shadow. "When my sister died, everyone around me was filled with grief. Even though they cried, I did not. I felt sad too, but I just couldn't cry like they did. Still, I saw everyone so moved that rather than just accept it, I tried to convince myself I had felt nothing, like I was a monster. I tried to run away from my feelings. Now, I know that was the wrong thing to do. I miss you, Saki, I really do."

Naoki broke out in tears as he started to cry. When he was finished, the Shadow nodded, affirming everything Naoki had said, before vanishing. In his place appeared a biker who had only a skull for his face. He was clad in black leather with matching boots and helmet. He was seated on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle which had rings of flame for wheels. This Persona was Hell Biker, a motorcyclist whose anger at himself and the world cursed him upon death. Hell Biker transformed into a tarot card and descended before Naoki.

Naoki grew wobbly as his stamina suddenly left him. He slumped onto his knees, barely holding himself upright by his arms. "Are you okay, Naoki?" asked Yosuke.

"Yeah, I'm just a little drained," he replied. "...But thanks."

Yosuke smiled, for he felt a deep bond, formed of Naoki's genuine gratitude. This feeling brought about a change deep within. His Persona, Susanoo, suddenly appeared before him. "Thou art I and I am thou," it began. "You have set free a new power of the Magician Arcana. See now, the true form of Susanoo."

Susanoo transformed into an orange-skinned man with long black hair. He wore a pair of white pants and a pair of green shin guards as well as a pair matching bracers on his arms. On his neck was a set of monster teeth strung together as a necklace. Dangling from this necklace was a circular mirror which also matched the one on his circlet. He was armed with a large sword with sharp, hook-like protrusions which ran along its edge. This empowered version of Yosuke's Persona was Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the God of the Summer Storm, in his true form.

"Looks like we're even," remarked Yosuke, smiling and chuckling. "You need rest. Let's meet at the Junes food court tomorrow after school. We have a lot to talk about."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	7. Fool 7: The Gigolo

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 7: The Gigolo **

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

After school, the Investigation Team met up at their HQ in Junes once again, to talk about their progress with the current case. They had acquired a new ally in the form of Naoki Konishi, the brother of the second murder victim during the case last year. After awakening his Persona, Hell Biker, he became fatigued and took the rest of the day to recover. "Hello everybody!" said Naoki as he came into the food court.

"Hey, you're looking pretty good today," remarked Yosuke.

"Yep, I feel like I'm on top of the world," said Naoki, taking a seat at the table. "I have many questions to ask you."

Naoki asked several questions about who the Investigation Team was and what they were doing. Yosuke told them everything about the murder case last year. Their involvement began right after the murder of his sister, Saki. They saw her appear on the Midnight Channel, then believed to only be an urban legend in the Inaba area. It was a special TV show which only appeared when a TV set was off during the midnight of a rainy day. Though it was supposed to show you your soul mate, it actually showed people who for one reason or another, became a topic of public interest.

"It showed people who were made famous by their interviews on the news. Your sister became well-known because she found the body of Mayumi Yamano," informed Yosuke.

"Yeah, I know about that," said Naoki.

"The one who killed Ms. Yamano and your sister was Tohru Adachi. He was a detective of the Inaba Police Department and the former partner of Nanako's father," informed Yosuke.

"Yeah, I heard that too," replied Naoki. "He confessed to the murder and was arrested."

"The news didn't tell you this, but we had chased Adachi into the other world. We caught him and brought back to the police," informed Yosuke.

"I see, thanks for all that you've done," said Naoki. "You don't know how much it means to me to finally get closure on this. So you've been going into the TV for the last year?"

"Uh huh," replied Chie. "There was another suspect, Taro Namatame, who Adachi had tricked into throwing people in. He threw in Yukiko, Kanji, Nanako, and Naoto. He even threw in Rise Kujikawa too."

"No way! Risette was a member of your team?" asked Naoki incredulously.

"Yep, Souji Seta was too. He was our leader," replied Chie.

"Oh cool, I knew Souji. Great guy, we hung out a few times," remarked Naoki. "So, Namatame got you all involved? I see..."

"Now, that you have a Persona, we'd like it if you could join us," said Naoto. "Your help would be appreciated, but we won't force you. It can be can very dangerous."

"I'm joining," replied Naoki. "It's the least I can do to repay you. Besides, I really want pay back against the guys who kidnapped me."

"Welcome to the team!" said Yosuke.

Naoto briefed Naoki about what they had been doing up 'til now. The team had been investigating who or what was kidnapping people from Inaba. A few of the victims had wound up dead, but so far, that number was kept to a minimum. The reason for these disappearances was that strange creatures had begun to appear in the other side. Unlike the Shadows, the original inhabitants of the TV world, these new creatures were able to cross over and kidnap people.

"What are these creatures anyways?" asked Naoki.

"They're demons," replied Nanako.

"Demons?" asked Naoki incredulously.

"Yes," replied Nanako. "That's what Cherub tells me when I scan them."

"When they got me, several 'things' that looked like starfish ganged on me," informed Naoki. "You're saying those things are demons?"

"Yeah," replied Yosuke. "We're going back to finish the job. We couldn't the first time because we wanted to make sure everyone was safe."

"Then this will be my first mission with you guys," remarked Naoki.

"Yeah, but before we go, tell us about your new Personas," said Naoto.

"Hell Biker is good at physical, fire, and wind-based attacks. He rides a motorcycle, so he's fast, but he's still pretty tough," said Naoki.

"My new Persona is an improved version of Susanoo," said Yosuke. "He's got stronger physical and wind attacks. I'm like a wind version of Kanji now, but I'm more well-rounded while he focuses more on raw physical strength."

"That's great!" said Chie.

"He's not the only one," said Kanji. "I've gained some new tricks after we fought Naoki's Shadow. I've got stronger electrical attacks. Physical hits don't work on me anymore, so I can take tons of punches and not get hurt."

"Wow, that's nice!" remarked Teddie. "I'm jealous of you!"

* * *

><p>The Investigation Team returned to the Shadow world sewage treatment plant they had raided yesterday. Instead of just black oozes guarding the site, there were new creatures patrolling the grounds. They were the same starfish ones which had taken Naoki. As usual, the green oozes still transported sludge, but a few of the black ones had been reassigned to help them move carts to the pentagram area. The owner likely had summoned new demons to replace the losses of yesterday.<p>

Nanako proceeded to scan the area with Cherub. "Those starfish monsters are called Decarabia. They are resistant to fire, ice, lightning, and wind attacks. Death magic will not work on them."

"Ouch, this looks like it will be tough," remarked Kanji.

"Hold on, I've found out where the leader is. He's in the office, the one building which has no pipes going into it. I have a picture of him."

Nanako displayed an image of the enemy leader within the minds of her team. The leader was a devil-like creature with purple skin and a tail that ended in a spade. The creature wore open-fingered gloves and matching open-toed foot wraps. He had a very large hooked nose, a white beard, and red eyes. This creature was seated on a white toilet as though he was trying to "go to the washroom." Nanako identified this creature as Belphegor.

"Belphegor likes to use electrical attacks and heals when they are used against him. He can also reflect death magic back to the sender," informed Nanako. "He is vulnerable to banishment magic, but is very good at dodging them."

"My electricity won't be of much help, but at least I can take hits for you," remarked Kanji, thinking of his Persona.

"Hmm," remarked Naoto, thinking about how to handle these enemies. "We'll should have one team to distract the guards while the other takes out Belphegor."

The Decarabia and black ooze guards covered each other's weaknesses. The oozes were resistant to physical attacks, while the Decarabia were the same for magic. In this case, a balanced team with both physical attackers and magic attackers was the way to go. Belphegor used electrical attacks frequently, so someone who could withstand them would also be handy. "I will go fight Belphegor with Kanji, Yukiko, and Yosuke," announced Naoto. "The rest will distract the guards so we can get to him."

"Okay, sounds like a plan," remarked Kanji.

"That means the rest of us are going for the guards. Get ready guys," informed Teddie.

Teddie, Chie, and Naoki advanced on the treatment plant, with Nanako remaining hidden to scan the area and provide information. Naoki sped along, seated behind Hell Biker on his motorcycle. The Decarabia heard the whirring from his motor, but he was coming in too fast to mount a counter attack. Hell Biker lashed one of them with a chain, killing that Decarabia. He circled around and saw the Decarabia had formed a line to attack him. They glared at him, an act which Hell Biker was all too happy to return.

He started revving his engine. "Vroom, vroom!" his engine went. "Vroom vroom!" it went again, as he revved a second time.

A different Decarabia observed from a bridge several metres from the ground. Chie suddenly came in, planting a flying kick right to its back, sending the creature face down. The Decarabia got up and charged, but she stood her ground, waiting for the right moment. With a single punch, she nailed him in the eye. The creature reeled backwards as Chie picked him up and tossed him off of the bridge. She instinctively snapped her foot to the right, catching a second Decarabia trying to blindside her. The Decarabia leapt for her face, but she ducked and bolted up, flipping the the demon over.

Hell Biker slammed the accelerator in a beeline for the Decarabia. They hurled fire, which he barrelled through unfazed. He suddenly veered left and lashed his chain into a Decarbia's eye. They turned and hurled flame after him, but he was too fast to be hit. Hell Biker circled around and came in for another pass. The Decarabia started to scatter, but Hell Biker made a sudden, hard u-turn and slammed the accelerator. The gust from the Hell Exhaust tossed the starfish demons into the air, and they landed one after the other with loud thuds.

Hell Biker stopped to assess the situation. Naoki saw Naoto enter the administrative building with her team. "They're in," remarked Naoki under his breath. He then noticed a group of Decarabia approaching the door. "Not good..."

Hell Biker slammed the accelerator, speeding straight for the pack. When they finally heard him, Hell Biker had reached such a great speed that he and Naoki were wreathed in fire! He barrelled through their ranks, leaving a trail of flame in his wake. Overwhelmed by Hell Burner, the Decarabia went flying everywhere with bodies lit by flame. Despite being thrown around and burnt, the Decarabia picked themselves off the ground and advanced.

Inside the administrative lobby, Naoto's team came face to face with Belphegor. "I'm being attacked by teenagers?" he asked. "Who sent you? Was it the King of Bel or Metatron?"

"We don't know what you're talking about," replied Yosuke. "You've kidnapped several people and one of them was a friend. We're here to stop you."

"Ah, just some random people out for revenge," remarked Belphegor. "No matter, even if you're not with them, I will crush you all the same!"

Belphegor immediately blasted the team with a powerful Zio spell. The team covered up as the electricity crackled through the air, forking outward to reach everything and everyone. Yosuke suffered only minor burns while Kanji smiled in enjoyment. Yukiko lit her team up with a soft white glow, healing the burns they had suffered. Yosuke and Susanoo suddenly descended on Belphegor with weapons drawn. Belphegor narrowly sidestepped the Brave Blade, causing them to slash the ground.

Yukiko immediately sent an Agi spell at him, fanning a fiery torrent towards Belphegor. Belphegor covered up, gritting his teeth from the brunt of intense heat and flame. Naoto immediately cast a Hama cast upon him. Belphegor noticed the paper talismans appearing and zipped out of the way before the flicker of light caught him. "Damn!" cursed Naoto.

Kanji waited for Belphegor to pause and unleashed a Primal Force. It clipped its mark right in the ribs, sending its victim crashing through the wall nearby. Belphegor immediately got to his toilet and charged Kanji. Kanji caught Belphegor, digging his feet into the ground to stop his motion. Belphegor suddenly zipped back and fired a grey beam from his finger. On contact, the beam caused Kanji's skin to shrivel and his strength to suddenly leave him.

"Kanji!" cried Naoto, firing several bullets while rushing to his side. Belphegor covered up while moving away to find cover.

Yukiko also rushed to Kanji's side and glanced over him. "He enervated you," said Yukiko. "I can remove it if I can get some time."

Belphegor suddenly recovered and projected electricity from his left hand. Naoto stepped forward and braced herself to take the hit for her friends. She she grit her teeth to bear the attack, but was forced onto one knee just to stay upright. Yosuke descended from behind, but Belphegor felt a draft and stopped the lightning. He shifted to the right, evading Yosuke's Brave Blade. When Yosuke landed, he lunged at Yosuke, tagging the boy in the chest. However, Yosuke had held on, causing the attack to only stagger rather than knock Yosuke down. Yosuke quickly drove his shoulder into his gut, staggering him.

Yosuke followed with a Divine Wind at point-blank range. Belphegor went flying into the wall behind, putting an indentation into it. At that moment, Naoto and Yamato-Takeru sprang back to life and unleashed a Hama spell. Belphegor stumbled out of the indentation and into the middle of the ring of paper talismans. His eyes widened in horror once he realized where he was, but it was too late. The light overtook his body and all he could do was scream before he vanished completely. With the battle over, the team made their way back to the TV studio to rest for the rest of the day.

* * *

><p>Wednesday, June 13, 2012<p>

After school, the Investigation Team met at Junes as a debriefing of their mission the day before. Kanji was back to normal, thanks to the timely assistance of Yukiko and Amaterasu. "Yukiko, you did a good job patching me up. I'm glad I didn't have to get cream for that," he remarked.

"Thanks," said Yukiko.

"Before we fought Belphegor, he asked us if a 'King of Bel' or 'Metatron' had told us to attack him."

"Who might they be?" asked Yosuke.

"I don't know about the King of Bel, but Metatron is the name of an angel," informed Yukiko.

"So, now we have angels involved in this? Man, this is case is gets weirder and weirder by the day," remarked Kanji.

"Belial, Belphegor, King of Bel, they all have 'Bel' in their names. I don't think that's a coincidence," remarked Chie.

A handsome, jovial man in a suit approached their table. He was very sharply and finely dressed, as though to go out on a date with a girl to a fancy restaurant. He had the air of a gigolo or playboy about him. In particular, he was fixated on Yukiko. "My, my, what lovely ladies we have here. They're all flowers just waiting to blossom into womanhood."

"Man, what's with this guy?" asked Yukiko.

The gigolo chuckled before looking over the rest of the Investigation Team, as though to confirm something. "Ah, it's you, so it really is you, the ones who defeated Belial and Belphegor."

The team suddenly perked up. "What?" asked Yukiko.

The gigolo laughed. "Yes, I know. You may have defeated those two, but there more of them out there. This isn't over yet, not by a long shot. Since you've made this so interesting, I'll tell you more. You've downed two, but there are four dead, and more still to come."

"Who are these 'Bel demons' and why are they here?" asked Naoto.

"Time for a history lesson," said the gigolo.

In another world in 2500 BC, there existed a region known as Mesopotamia. In Akkadian, a language from this area, "Bel" literally meant "lord" or "master." At the time, a demon with this name ruled the world. In 600 BC, a being known as Yehovah had overthrown Bel, causing him to splinter into multiple demons which became worshipped in various cultures. Being once a part of Bel, these demons were crowned with his name. Recently, they had fought a war of supremacy, absorbing each other until they were fully reunited.

The winner was crowned "King of Bel," ruler over all demons to use them as he saw fit. The current King of Bel chose to grant his power to humanity to assist them in achieving their full potential. However, someone in this world had gained the power to summon his demons, undermining his control. He came to stop them, until the summoners began to reawaken the very Bel demons within him. This had caused them to regain their individuality and fission off once again.

The Investigation Team was left speechless from what they were told. "I can tell from your blank expressions that I've given you quite a bit of food for thought. One last thing before I leave; one of the Bels walks among you, as though he was a human being. You'll meet him soon." The gigolo walked away, chuckling all the while as he vanished into Junes.

The Investigation Team resumed their meeting with the gigolo's information on their mind. "We got Belial and Belphegor, so that means somebody else is hunting the Bels like we are?"

"If his information is any indication, it possible the King of Bel is doing that," replied Naoto.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Naoki and Yosuke met in the food court Junes. "Hey, how are ya doing?" asked Naoki.

"I'm fine, what did you need?" asked Yosuke.

"It's about my new project. Konishi Liquors has been having some financial difficulties lately. I've been thinking that a change of business is in order," replied Naoki. "Instead of selling alcoholic drinks, I was thinking that we should try to make non-alcoholic drinks and sell them instead."

"I see, so you're thinking that Junes might want carry some of these drinks," observed Yosuke.

"Bingo," replied Naoki. "Our old business was too limited and narrow. That's why we're in so much trouble now. If my plan works, we'll be raking in the money. Inaba today, tomorrow the world!"

Yosuke chuckled. "I see you brought samples with you," said Yosuke, glancing over a series of containers and cups. "I'd like to try it."

"This one's mango," said Naoki, pouring some yellow-orange juice into a cup for Yosuke.

"Mmmm!" remarked Yosuke after drinking. "You can taste the mango, not too sweet, not too sour."

"How about this one?" asked Naoki, as he poured a sample of purple juice from a pitcher into a paper cup. The juice tasted like blackberry, but had a bitter aftertaste similar to that of dark chocolate or cocoa.

"This one's interesting. What is it?" asked Yosuke.

"It's a?i juice," replied Naoki. "It's a berry that grows in South America. It spoils quickly so it's hard and expensive to find it here in Japan."

"If you could find a way to lower the bitterness, it would taste great. Maybe a bit more sugar," suggested Yosuke.

"Hmm, I'll keep that in mind," said Naoki. "Thanks, you've been a great help."

* * *

><p>Wednesday, July 4, 2012<p>

Classes continued once again in Yasogami High. The students of class 3-2 listened as Ms. Sofue began a lecture on ancient civilizations. She was an unorthodox teacher who had a tendency to wear an Egyptian headdress and matching make-up. Carrying a cane-like sceptre, her entire ensemble made her resemble the carvings on an Egyptian sarcophagus. Due to these quirks, the students gave her the nickname of "Queen Tut."

"Mesopotamia is the region between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, which consist of Iraq and parts of Syria, Turkey, and Iran today. Some of the first civilizations arose in this area, which is why it's called the 'Cradle of Civilization.' Among their greatest achievements is the creation of one of the first written languages, which gave information and communication a previously unheard of form of persistence," said Ms. Sofue.

Saemon started to feel the tearing pains once again. He started to grasp at his chest, but the pain was deeper inside, impossible for him to soothe. The tearing pains increased in severity as the lesson went on. The remaining Bels started grasping for their freedom, trying to escape his being. He tried to suppress it, but it only made the sensation worse. He couldn't afford to let them out, not in the classroom, not with all of the students and teachers around. They would surely slaughter everyone in the area.

"Saemon, are you okay? You don't look so good," remarked Ms. Sofue.

"Arrggggh... My chest hurts," replied Saemon.

Atsuro raised his hand. "Ms. Sofue, Saemon has had these problems before. I'll take him to see the nurse."

"Okay, please hurry," said Ms. Sofue.

Atsuro took him to the nurse and like before, the nurse couldn't help him. Although Saemon had his pills and had taken one before coming to class, the pills were never meant to work. They were merely a cover story. The nurse gave him a note, clearing him to leave early. As Saemon staggered out with Atsuro's help, he could feel three of the Bels, Belberith, Belzaboul, and Pabelsag grasping for their freedom. Despite the pain, Saemon was able to make the entire journey to their base in the Shadow world.

He was confined to a bed in Mari's infirmary. Fushimi immediately ordered several of his men and demons surround the area. With them were Mari and Atsuro's demons from Surt to Kresnik. "Okay Saemon, we're ready, let them all out," said Atsuro.

A glimmer of light appeared on Saemon's chest as the Bels began to flee his body. The first out was Belzaboul himself, one of the mightiest of the Bels. His true name was Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies and the Prince of Lies, whereas Belzaboul was merely his "Bel" name. True to his name, he was a massive fly with indigo chitin and large crimson compound eyes. On his wings were skulls which denoted his sinister nature. He wore a garland of skulls and carried a morbid sceptre which resembled a human spinal cord with the skull still attached.

"You think your puny forces can stand up to me? Begone!" said Beelzebub.

Beelzebub summoned a humongous swarm of flies. They engulfed Atsuro and Mari, nipping away at them painfully. All they could do was flail about helplessly as Beelzebub made a beeline for the front window. Glass and wood went flying onto the lawn as Beelzebub burst out. Fushimi's men moved in, but Beelzebub sent more flies upon them. The men and the demons started flailing around, every bit as helpless as Atsuro and Mari. Beelzebub flapped his wings and took to the skies, flying far away from the camp as he could.

The next Bel which emerged was a knight in blue armour who rode on a red horse. This demon was Belberith, the Great Duke of Hell. With Fushimi's forces already distracted, Belberith merely jumped out of the window. "Good day to you all!" he said, before galloping away on his horse.

The third and last of the Bels emerged, the scorpion-man Pabelsag. "Free at last... Oh damn, spoke too soon! It seems a new master wishes to contract me," he said, sighing in resignation before simply teleporting away to answer his new master's summons.

Kikuri-Hime unleashed a massive wave of flame, burning all of the flies. Atsuro and Mari went to check on Saemon, who had taken quite a toll from ejecting the Bel demons from his being. "I'll be fine," he told them.

"Still, I want you to stay here, at least for tomorrow," ordered Mari.

"Alright, but make sure to clean everyone up with Amrita," warned Saemon. "Beelzebub might have left eggs in your bodies."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	8. Fool 8:  True Goddess

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 8: Reincarnation of the True Goddess **

Thursday, July 5, 2012

At lunch, a girl with long, light brown hair walked through the hallways of Yasogami. With every step she took, boys stopped and stared at the glamourous, beautiful girl. Her name was Ai Ebihara, popularity queen of Yasogami High. She was the girl every boy wanted as his girlfriend. No girl, save Yukiko Amagi and Yuzu Tanikawa, could rival her in looks and popularity. Despite that fact, she ironically did not have a boyfriend of her own.

One of the shy boys in glass gathered the courage and approached. "Um, h... hi Ai, you look n... nice today. I was thinking, would you like to go out... some time?"

"With you?" asked Ai. "No way!"

While Ai bluntly shot down the boy, Yukiko had come down the hall to change the notice board. As she clipped on a new article, several boys turned their attention from Ai to her. Among the boys at least, Yukiko had always been a rival of Ai for the most beautiful girl in Yasogami. Yukiko's looks appealed to those who desired a more traditional Japanese beauty. Ai's looks emphasized glamour to a far greater extent, looking more like the models in a girl magazine.

Ai glared at Yukiko with hands on her hips. "Hey, butt out! Can't you see you're not welcome here?"

"Are you talking to me?" asked Yukiko.

"Yes, I'm talking to you! Look at all those guys ogling you! How can I lose to you? What have you got that I don't?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Yukiko as she hung a second notice on the board.

Atsuro came into the school and changed shoes. He noticed Yukiko and Ai at the centre of a pack of boys. It seemed out of the ordinary so he decided to investigate. "What's up?" he asked as he approached Yukiko.

"Oh hi Atsuro," replied Yukiko. "I was just hanging up the new notices and this girl came up and started talking down to me."

Atsuro looked over Ai, noting the envious glare on her face. "Whoa! You didn't steal one of her boyfriends, did you?"

"Oh no! Nothing of the sort!" replied Yukiko. "So how's Saemon been doing? He missed class again."

"Yeah, the doctor ordered him to stay home and rest for a while. He's recovering nicely so he should be back tomorrow," replied Atsuro.

"Hey, stop ignoring me!" cried Ai.

"Geez, what's with her?" wondered Yukiko.

"Oh, that does it!" cried Ai. "You just made my hit list. You got that?"

At the meeting in Junes later on, Yosuke seemed more flustered than usual. "Yukiko, are you going out with Atsuro Kihara?"

"What? Oh no! What ever gave you that idea?" asked Yukiko.

"Some of the boys saw Ai getting into your face when she saw you and Atsuro together," replied Yosuke.

"It's just a stupid rumour. There's nothing like that going on between us, honest!" admitted Yukiko.

"Come on guys, knock it off," said Chie. "This was all one big misunderstanding that got blown out of proportion."

"But you have to admit, Ai Ebihara's pretty pissed off with you," informed Naoki. "Whatever you did, you really made her mad."

"I didn't do anything!" said Yukiko.

"You know what I think? I think that girl was jealous of you," said Chie. "I mean, look at her. Every time I see people around her, it's always just a bunch of horny guys trying to get into her skirt. You have real friends who care about you."

"I guess you'd know, Ms. 'I won't loosen my grip on her,'" said Yosuke.

Yukiko seemed perplexed by that. "Hey! Don't bring that up!" said Chie, giving a Yosuke a smack across the head.

"Ow!" blurted Yosuke. Yukiko merely broke out into fits of hysterical, hyena-like laughter.

"Oi, there she goes again," remarked Chie.

"Yeah, listen, I have to get back to work. I'll see you later," said Yosuke.

"Okay, we see you later. Bye Yosuke," said Chie as everybody left for their homes.

Along the way, Chie and Yukiko came upon a group of people gathered near the gazebo by the Samegawa River. The police had cordoned off the area with yellow tape while onlookers waited behind, watching the proceedings. At least four police cars were parked there along with a coroner's truck. The police had body-bagged the victim and moved him into the truck. The police officers stood guard around the area, as the coroners and forensics specialists continued to examine the area for clues.

Dojima was behind the line, walking about the area. He noticed Chie and Yukiko among the crowd. "You kids should go home. This is no place for you," he warned, before returning to speak to another officer.

One of the male onlookers decided to address them. "There was a body found over by the gazebo."

"Do they know who it is?" asked Yukiko.

"No idea," replied the stranger. "It was pretty gruesome. There were maggots everywhere. They had chewed up the body pretty badly."

"Eewww..." Chie groaned in revulsion.

After watching for awhile, Chie and Yukiko returned home. They, like many other people, heard the news that night about the corpse. The victim's name was Yukio Ito, who worked as a cashier for the Moel gas station near the shopping district. The last time he had been seen was when he left work at four in the afternoon. He had not shown up for work the following morning and had not been seen until a woman discovered his body by the gazebo as she walked home along the Samegawa. Though chewed up by maggots, police were able to identify him by the driver's license in his wallet.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Yukio Ito was but the first. Over the week, random bystanders found more bodies which were in the same condition. The death toll rose to more than two dozen victims. The events leading to the disappearance were the same for each victim. They would leave a certain location, vanish for some period of time, then were found dead and maggot ridden in a new area. People were terrified. There was a deranged psychopath on the loose and the police were powerless to stop him. The Investigation Team was also stumped, as they had no leads as to who was doing it.

"This makes number 27, Mimi Araki, a clothing saleswoman from Kasumi's Boutique in Okina City," narrated Naoto, while reading a newspaper at the Junes food court.

"Even Teddie and Nanako couldn't track the monster down. Arggh, I feel so useless!" remarked Chie.

"With no connection between the victims, they can't do much," said Naoto. "Fortunately, it does seem that more time is passing before the victim is found dead. For Ito, the first victim, he most likely died on the same night he went missing. Compare that to Araki, who died almost four days after she initially disappeared."

"I'm sure it's a demon doing this, but why keep anyone hostage?" remarked Yukiko. "Why not just kill them as soon as you can get them?"

"Maybe he's getting some kind of sick enjoyment out of tormenting them before killing them," suggested Chie. "Wait, that's exactly what he's doing! Oh, I'm so gonna get him!"

"Perhaps," said Naoto. "We really need a lead, especially now that some of the victims are not from Inaba."

Friday, July 13, 2012

The Investigation Team met up after school to discuss a new development in the case. "Did you know? Ai Ebihara never came to class," informed Kanji.

"Well, she likes to skip class," replied Chie.

"I know about that. I mean she never came home last night either," corrected Kanji.

"The police are stumped," informed Naoto. "Like the other murders, they don't have any leads on her disappearance."

"Nanako and I are trying our best, but we don't have any leads. None of the people have anything in common," said Teddie.

"Yeah, we need something that we can focus on," said Nanako.

"Ai is the manager for the basketball team," said Yosuke. "I'll ask Kou and the others."

The team split up around Inaba, asking everyone they knew about Ai Ebihara. Yukiko came upon Keisuke Takagi, who was at the bookstore looking through its merchandise. He was from class 3-3 of Yasogami and is a classmate of Ai's. She asked him about Ai. "Ai Ebihara? Yeah, there have been lots of rumours about her disappearance," replied Keisuke.

"Can you tell me anything about her?" asked Yukiko. "Like what was she doing before she disappeared?"

"Hmm... Ah, when I was walking home yesterday, I overheard her talking to a student from another high school. Her name was Sakura," informed Keisuke.

"What high school was she from? What were they talking about?"

"Judging from the uniform, I'd say she was from Samegawa High. From what I heard, Ai and Sakura used to go to middle school together before she moved to Inaba. Did you know that back then, Ai was a fat girl? Ai Ebihara? A fat girl? I couldn't believe it! I wouldn't have expected that from her of all people. Sakura was just as surprised as I was."

Yukiko found this even more interesting and pondered the implications of this startling revelation. Fat kids usually tended to be mocked and bullied for being that way. It had happened in her old middle school particularly with respect to Hanako Ohtani. Did something like this happen to Ai too? Perhaps her experiences in junior high might have motivated her to change? "Can you describe Sakura's appearance?" asked Yukiko.

"Sakura is about as tall as Ai. She has shoulder-length black hair and wears a daisy in her hair," replied Keisuke.

"Thanks Keisuke, I'm going to ask around about Sakura."

Yukiko left and found Chie and Yosuke near the shrine and told them about what she had learned from Keisuke. "No way!" remarked Chie.

"Ai was a fat girl in middle school?" blurted Yosuke. "Are we talking about the same Ai here?"

"Not so loud!" remarked Yukiko. "Yeah, she was. Keisuke heard them say so. We should ask this Sakura girl. He told me she was from Samegawa High."

"Samegawa High," mumbled Yosuke. "Come to think of it, I've bumped into her before. She likes to drink latte in the food court right after her shopping trips. I might be able to catch her if I head back now."

"Okay, I'll keep asking around in town with Chie. If anything happens, call us," said Yukiko.

She and Chie continued their search and found such a girl inside of old lady Shiroku's store, buying some Pocky. Yukiko introduced herself and Chie, and told her about Ai's disappearance and the murders. "I'm Sakura Inoue. If you can help her, I'll tell you anything," replied Sakura. Yukiko had told her about what she had learned of Ai presently. "Oh yeah, they used to call her 'Piggy-hara' all the time. I heard that one time, she asked a boy out. The boy rejected her, saying he didn't want to catch her germs."

Yukiko's previous suspicions were on the mark. "How did she become the way she is now?" she asked.

"Ai's dad got really rich from land investment. She moved away soon after. We bumped into each other again only yesterday and I was surprised at how much she changed. I didn't recognize her until she approached me. I asked what's her secret and she told me that she had started reading girl magazines religiously."

Sakura offered a Pocky stick to Yukiko, which she accepted. Yukiko looked over the magazines on the rack, one of which had a picture of a gorgeous model. It had a blurb which mentioned '12 ways to get any boy to like you.' "Did she start dieting to lose weight?" asked Chie.

"Yeah," replied Sakura. "Not only did she look different, she acted differently too. She used to be so much friendlier and easy-going. Now, I find her very stuck up and way too obsessed with her looks. The way she acts... It's... I can't describe it..."

"Like she's putting up a front?" asked Yukiko.

"Yeah, that's it!" said Sakura. "I'm happy she wants to look better, but that doesn't mean she has to act so differently. I liked her the old way."

"I see thanks for your help," said Yukiko. As Sakura left the store, Yukiko and Chie contemplated what the girl had told them. "So Ai was like me, alone with no friends..."

"Cheer up," said Chie. "You're not alone. I'm your friend and so are Yosuke and the others, even Souji and Rise."

"Yeah, but Ai doesn't know people like them. She might be popular with the guys, but that's not the same," observed Yukiko. "Maybe we should try to get to know her better?"

"Yeah," said Chie. "Let's make her feel like she's not so alone."

* * *

><p>Yukiko returned to Junes and told the others everything she had learned about Ai. She told the team about how Ai used to be an overweight girl back in her old home town. She was teased and mocked mercilessly by the other kids. When Ai's dad got rich from land investment, her family moved to Inaba. Around that time, Ai consulted girl magazines to learn what the ideal girl was like. She began dieting and even changed her demeanour and behaviour just to emulate the girls in the magazines.<p>

Using this information, Nanako scanned the Shadow world. "I got it!" said Nanako, drawn to Ai's inner turmoil.

Nanako led the way to an old prison in the outskirts of Shadow Inaba. The prison had numerous windows barred by solid steel which denied escape to anyone caught in the cell. The prison was fairly old, a building made of brick and mortar. It had been cleaned up recently, judging from how unusually spotless it was for such an old place. The prison had a concrete wall along its perimeter with barbed wire along its top. The wall enclosed four separate yards with recreational facilities. There were guard towers at each corner of the perimeter, but they were unoccupied.

The area seemed suspiciously quiet. "Ai is on the third floor of the prison at the central area," reported Nanako. "The rest of the kidnapped people are nearby."

The team split up to search the area with Teddie staying behind to watch Nanako. Yosuke's team went for the third floor of the central cell block, which contained rows of cells along the walls. The centre of the room was open, giving a good overhead view of the mess hall below. They saw Naoto's team starting their sweep of the cells below. When Yosuke's team came across the first filled cell, they found a terrified Japanese woman in a business suit. Near her was a strange, pulsating white egg covered in mucus.

"Get the egg!" cried the woman. Yukiko summoned Amaterasu to smash open the door, while she incinerated the egg with an Agi spell. "I don't know who you are, but thanks."

Yukiko checked the next cell and found a mangled corpse. The egg in the cell had hatched and maggots crawled all over the body. Yukiko turned away in disgust. It was too late to save whoever was in this cell. She went to the next one and the next, destroying the ominous eggs and freeing prisoners. Naoto's team gathered the prisoners in the lobby where they waited for the Investigation Team to escort them home. Yukiko found Ai's cell and burned the egg, destroying whatever was incubating within it.

"Are you okay?" asked Yukiko.

"You sure took your sweet time, but thanks," remarked Ai. "How did you find me?"

"Sakura told me about you," said Yukiko.

"Oh," replied Ai, too taken aback to make more snide comments. Yukiko extended a hand to lift her off the ground and get her out of the cell.

"Oh is right!" remarked a strange voice, eerily similar to Ai's, but echoing. "Oh ho ho ho ho ho!"

"Oh shit!" remarked Kanji, seeing Ai and her clone as he, Chie, and Yosuke approached the scene. "I'm sending the other group out." Kanji ran down to the lobby. "Everybody, get out of here! Move it!" he cried, flailing his arms to herd the prisoners out the door.

"What's going on?" asked Teddie.

"Ai's Shadow just popped out!" cried Kanji.

"That's bad!" remarked Teddie. "I'd better help them. Kanji, you, Naoto, and Nanako should lead the people back."

Nanako summoned Cherub and addressed the others through a telepathic link. "Naoto, Kanji, and I are leading the prisoners home. Teddie's coming back to help you."

"Okay," replied Yukiko through the link.

Ai could only stare dumbfounded at her Shadow self, who wore her street clothes, yet seemed much more glamourous than she was. "You're... me!"

"Exactly," replied the Shadow. "I'm what you always wanted to be. My, my, my, look at all these admirers, coming here to see little ol' me! Oh ho ho ho ho!"

"Admirers? They didn't come here to gawk," said Ai.

"As if you believe that," mocked the Shadow. "All they want is the pretty girl. They don't want the real you."

"That's not true," decried Ai.

"Oh? You put on a pretty dress and act like you're royalty, but no matter how much make-up you put on, no matter how desirable you try to act, they still don't like you."

"That's not true! All the guys like me. They like me so much, they fight each other just to get a glimpse."

"Ha! As if you believe that! One minute alone with you and it'll be like middle school all over again. 'Piggy-hara,' 'tubby,' 'fatso,' I've heard it a million times. Why can't you like me the way I am? Why do you have to be so mean?" asked the Shadow.

"Stop it!" cried Ai.

"Since they didn't like you the way you were, you decided to change. So, you dieted and followed all the tricks to become beautiful and popular. Yet, the more you try to change, the more you stay the same. They still see you as the same 'Piggy-hara' you've always been, alone and miserable. Who are you trying to fool?"

"No, that's not true! You don't know anything!" cried Ai.

The Shadow laughed. "I DO know. After all, I'm you and you're me. We're one and the same. Since you know they won't like you, you push them away. You act all princess-y and put them down, but all you're really doing is trying to protect yourself. You know they will only hurt you again."

"Stop it! You're..."

"No! Don't say it!" cried Teddie as entered the scene.

"Let her," said Yukiko. "Ai, let it all out. We're here for you, don't worry."

"You're not me!" cried Ai.

A sinister aura of darkness surrounded Shadow Ai. She felt the power of Ai's denial and self-loathing fuel her, making her stronger until she transformed into a statue of gold. The statue depicted Ai as an adult, but completely nude, posing like a Greek goddess. However, portions of the statue had cracked open at the nose, mouth, and jaw. There was a creature hidden inside the statue. It had a pink, porcine nose and snout, but the metal covered the rest of its body. The creature seemed far too large to fit within the golden shell.

Ai, drained of stamina, landed on the ground face first. "We've got to get Ai out of there," said Yukiko.

"I've got it," assured Chie. "Keep her busy."

Yukiko unleashed a torrent of flame upon Shadow Ai. On contact, it engulfed her and lit her up like a massive bonfire. In a flash, Chie had carried the real Ai out of harm's way, putting her safely in a cell far from the battle area. When she came back, Shadow Ai had snuffed the flames and sprayed a foul green liquid in retaliation. Yukiko leapt away, covering her nose as landed. "Eew!" she remarked on the smell of the liquid.

Teddie focused his gaze and thoughts upon Shadow Ai, probing it for information. "Shadow Ai is resistant to physical attacks and will reflect any ailments we send at her. The Shadow's real body is hiding inside the statue of the babe," informed Teddie. "Crack it open so we can get to it."

The air crackled as Shadow Ai projected electricity. Yosuke ran out in front and took the brunt of it for the others. The electricity coursed through his body, but thanks to Susanoo's upgrades, the harm he had suffered was only minimal. Chie suddenly descended from above, planting a firm kick to the statue's forehead. As Shadow Ai collapsed, golden spikes shot out from her body. Chie covered herself as they struck her body, stinging her painfully.

"She can counter physical attacks. Yosuke, we'll have to be careful," informed Chie. Yukiko cast a Dia spell, healing the wounds Chie had taken from the exchange. "Thanks."

Teddie cast a Bufu spell, blasting freezing cold at the Shadow. Despite withstanding the cold, it froze her in a shell of ice, leaving her vulnerable. Chie saw this chance and brought down God Hand. The golden fist smashed into the Shadow, shattering the ice as well as the Shadow's protective shell. The Shadow's body expanded outward, becoming a rotund, porcine creature with long, light brown hair. The creature wore Ai's pink dress, but stretched it out such that it could rip at any moment. The Shadow slobbered uncontrollably. It literally was "Piggy-hara."

"That's Ai's Shadow?" asked Yosuke.

"She must have really hated herself," remarked Yukiko.

She sprayed an Agi spell right at the Shadow causing her to recoil back. The angry Shadow threw a jab, but Yukiko leapt onto her fist and again to safety. Yosuke released a Garu spell, trapping Shadow Ai within a snarling tornado. The Shadow fought the wind as hard as she could, but could not advance or attack. She decided to emit lightning all around her, forcing the Investigation Team to cover up to withstand the attack. The electricity dispersed the winds, freeing her from the eye of the tornado.

The Shadow rushed forward with a flurry of punches catching Yosuke and then Chie. Teddie began work on healing Chie, who had landed next to him. The Shadow noticed Teddie and sent a punch to the side of his head. Yukiko cast an Agi spell at her, forcing the Shadow to recoil in agony. The Shadow retaliated by emitting lightning. It hit Yukiko causing her to convulse painfully, stopping her in her tracks. "Gaaaah!" gasped Yukiko as the lightning subsided.

"I will crush you all, then everyone will admire me like they should!" the Shadow boldly proclaimed. She turned to Yukiko. "You! I'll make you pay for showing me up, you little bitch! Then, I'll get rid of the other 'me.'"

"Even if you have no other friends, you can call me a friend," said Yukiko. "I know how you feel."

Chie rose to one knee, still groggy from taking such powerful hits. "Yeah, don't be afraid, Ai. We won't make fun of you or call you names."

Yukiko's determination and understanding awakened something within her. Her Persona, Amaterasu, had appeared before her. "Thou art I and I am thou," she addressed Yukiko. "Your determination has set free the innermost power of the Priestess Arcana. See now, the true form of Amaterasu."

Yukiko's Persona flashed with golden light, blinding all around. In her old Persona's place was a new one, much more human in appearance. She was a beautiful Japanese woman clad in white robes with a belt of green cloth around her waist. She had long black hair and wore a tiara like the glorious sun. Her arms were outstretched, as though inviting everyone to partake of the warmth and light she radiated to the world. She was Amaterasu-Omikami, the Light of Heaven.

Shadow Ai lunged at the empowered Yukiko, who bristled with newfound strength and purpose. Yukiko unleashed a blinding white Radiance, which seared the Shadow's skin. When it subsided and Shadow Ai recovered, she could not find Yukiko anywhere. Suddenly, a column of white light descended upon the Shadow. She cried out in agony as the Godly Light of the sun seared her flesh. The Shadow disintegrated into inky darkness, leaving behind only her normal self. The battle won, Yukiko unleashed a wave of soothing white light over the felled members of the Investigation Team.

"Ow," groaned Yosuke as he groggily got up.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Teddie.

"Yeah, I managed to weaken the Shadow," said Yukiko.

During this time, Ai had recovered and made her way to her Shadow, to confront her for the final time. "I read those magazines, thinking I would become the most beautiful girl in the world. I thought that was what everyone wanted from a girl. The thing is, all I was doing was running from my true self. I wanted something real, I want to be loved, to have true friends who appreciate me for what I am. I don't need expensive junk or sycophants who only care about my looks."

The Shadow nodded, affirming all that she had kept hidden for so long. At that moment, the Shadow vanished and in her place was her Persona, hovering in the air. She was like a flesh and blood version of her Shadow, a naked brunette. Entwined around this woman were several thorny vines with roses in full bloom. Despite her bare skin, the woman seemed unharmed by the thorns. She was Alraune, the Mandragoran Beauty. The Persona vanished in a flash of light and a tarot card descended before Ai.

After receiving the power of her Persona, Ai slumped to her knees. Yukiko slung her over her body to prop her up. "I'm alright," said Ai. "That took a lot out of me."

"You look tired," remarked Yukiko.

"Let us take you home," said Chie, taking Ai's other arm.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	9. Fool 9:  King of Bel

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Fool Arcana 9: King of Bel **

Saturday, July 14, 2012

After being rescued from the TV World, the prisoners had returned to their ordinary lives. After experiencing such surreal, harrowing events, they were relieved to be back home with friends and family. The media interviewed each person who had been kidnapped, but nobody believed their fantastic tales about demons, a world beyond the TV, and super-powered teenagers. The Investigation Team had also discovered a new Persona user, Ai Ebihara, the beautiful popularity queen of Yasogami, among the victims. She now sat with the team, who asked her about her kidnapping.

"I was at an electronics store," began Ai. "I heard buzzing and a swarm of flies just came out of the TV and grabbed me. They dumped me in the prison cell with an egg. Then you guys showed up and you know the rest."

"It's likely one of the Bels," remarked Naoto.

"Bels?" asked Ai.

"They're demons like the one who kidnapped you," replied Naoto. "We got two, but there are still more at large."

"So, do all of you have a Persona, like I do?" asked Ai.

"Yep," replied Chie.

"I've seen you guys together, but I'd never think that this was why," remarked Ai. "How did you meet up?"

The Investigation Team took turns telling Ai about their efforts during the murders which began with Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi. Each member had been thrown in, except for Chie and Yosuke, who had ventured into the Shadow world on their own to explore it. They also told her about Rise Kujikawa and Souji Seta, former members who had left Inaba earlier in the year. As the new school year started, they had a new case dropped into their laps. Demons started to appear on the other side, crossing over to kidnap people on this side. They had recruited Nanako Dojima and Naoki Konishi during this case.

"Souji was part of the team too?" asked Ai incredulously.

"Yes," replied Naoto. "We'd appreciate it if you'd join us. It will be dangerous, but your Persona will help us greatly."

"Of course," replied Ai.

"Wonderful! Tell me more about you Persona," asked Naoto.

"Yeah, I want to know more about that hot babe," said Teddie.

"Her name is Alraune," replied Ai. "Her vines can tie people up and she has healing magic. She has many attacks which can confuse or weaken her enemies. That makes it easy for us to pick them off while they're distracted."

"Nice, so she's a healing and ailment-based Persona," remarked Naoto.

"Ah, I see you have some new friends with you," remarked an unknown man as he approached the team's table. The team looked over to see that the voice was from the gigolo.

"So, have you come to tell us anything new?" asked Chie.

"My, my, straight to the point, but yes, that's exactly why I'm here," replied the gigolo. "From your adventures over on the other side, you've crossed paths with Belzaboul. He is known by many names, Beelzebub, Baal Zebul, and Lord of the Flies. He is one of the most powerful Bels, if not THE most powerful, yet it even he is but a mere underling. Whether his master is involved in these events remains to be seen."

"Beelzebub?" asked Naoki.

"Does he mean the demon from Christian myth?" asked Yukiko.

"The one and the same," replied the gigolo. "Another of the Bels who has become active is Pabelsag. He also has a master, but has only recently come under his service. Under orders, he will head to Okina City on the other side to summon more demons for his master. He will do this throughout the first day of August. You might be able to catch him then."

"Just when summer vacation starts," remarked Yosuke. "...And I was hoping to relax."

"The other Bels may try to interfere, so you might meet them as well," suggested the gigolo. "Well, I guess I've said enough for one day. You guys are a riot! I'm having a blast watching all this unfold. Put on a good show for me." The gigolo chuckled as he disappeared into Junes.

"He thinks this is all some kind of game," remarked Yukiko.

"Well, I'm not having much fun," quipped Naoki.

"I wonder if he's leading us into a trap," remarked Ai. "Even if he's not, if the other Bels show up, we'll get caught in the crossfire."

"We'll be ready. We can kick all of their asses in one go, no waiting around for them to start killing people before we fight back," said Kanji.

"Yes, I agree," said Naoto. "Let's mark our calendars for that day."

* * *

><p>Wednesday, August 1, 2012<p>

End of semester exams came and went for Yasogami High on the last week of July. The students studied diligently, hoping to make the highest grade possible to impress their families and enrolment officials at the universities and colleges. When the week long hell was over, all the students breathed collective sighs of relief. Summer vacation came just shortly after, granting the students a much needed break and the freedom to do whatever they wished.

In Okina City in the Shadow World, a scorpion-man stood before an eight-pointed star drawn by red paint. At each point of the star was a burning red candle which filled the air with smoky incense. With arms raised, the scorpion-man, the demon named Pabelsag, focused his great power upon the star. It glowed with a passionate red light which rose into the sky. A beautiful goddess descended from above, hovering over the magical sign before Pabelsag.

This goddess was a woman with silky skin and long blonde hair which flowed all the way to the small of her back. She had long horns on her head which made her look somewhat devilish. She had a youthful face with eyes closed and very delicate features. The only things she wore was a short white skirt, a matching top, and anklet. She was Ishtar, the Sumerian goddess of love. "Ah, so it's you, Pabelsag. What can I do for you or do to you?"

"You are bound to me, Ishtar," stated Pabelsag. "You will assist me in the service of my master."

"Of course, honey. Lead the way," said Ishtar.

Some time later, the Survivors had entered Okina City of the Shadow world. They approached an intersection and cast a gaze down the nearest street. "The city's so huge. How are we going to find Pabelsag?" asked Yuzu.

"We'll have to try," replied Keisuke. "Fushimi is getting close to finding a lead on the summoners. He wants every man he can get on it, so we've got this one by ourselves."

"I don't like it, but we'll have to split up," said Saemon. "If you see Pabelsag, don't try to face him alone. Call for back up. I'll take the south end. You guys divide the rest among yourselves."

"Okay, I've got the east," said Atsuro.

"I'll go downtown," said Midori.

The Survivors split up and started to comb the town for the whereabouts of Pabelsag or any of the demons he had summoned. Ten minutes elapsed in his search before Saemon sensed residual demonic energy as a tingle in the air. Following it, he found himself inside an eerily quiet shopping mall. There were rows of stores lining the hallway, each with stocked shelves, but no sales clerks or shoppers moving about. As Saemon pursued the demonic energy, he found the food court.

All of the tables and chairs had been gathered and piled in the corner of the room. On the ground was a pentagram, drawn with red ink or paint. At each point in the star was a black candle, some of which still continued to burn and fill the air with smoky incense. Most of the candles had already burnt out by the time Saemon's team had entered the scene. The area around the pentagram had an electricity to it, an eerie feeling of supernatural power to it. Whoever had drawn this pentagram was clearly not in the area.

"Master Abel, Pabelsag was here. He summoned powerful demons," snarled Azathoth.

"I'll report this to the others," said Saemon. He closed his eyes, sending a message through the Babel system to this friends. "Let's go."

He and his demons passed by several stores, looking into each of them for clues. None of them had anything of interest. They soon descended a flight of stairs and came across a movie theatre. Like the rest of the mall, the whole place was empty and eerily quiet. Saemon was much more used to malls filled with the bustle of random shoppers. It was unnerving to find one so unusually vacant and quiet. He hoped that nothing was lurking in ambush, like perhaps a Shadow or a demon.

Saemon's group sat on benches near the theatre to rest. "Abel darling, we'll find what we're looking for, hang in there," said Scarlet.

As Saemon pondered where to go next, someone hidden behind a large potted plant attempted to duck under his line of sight. The spy accidentally hit his head against the pot as he lowered his head down. "Ow!" he blurted out.

Saemon immediately turned to that direction. "Is someone there?" he called out, getting up to investigate the noise.

"Oh crap!" said the spy, once he realized that he had been discovered.

The spy bolted for the nearest set of stairs. "Stop him!" cried Saemon.

Saemon, Scarlet, and Azathoth chased in hot pursuit. As Saemon approached the stairs, Scarlet flew over and ahead of the spy, descending directly in front of his path. The spy, looking over his shoulder to see his pursuers, crashed face-first into Scarlet's breasts. She was livid. "You... My body is for Abel. Hands off!"

Scarlet shoved the spy down the stairs, right past her master. As he landed at the base, Saemon came close to take a good look at his face. "Yosuke? Yosuke Hanamura?" he remarked, his jaw literally dropping.

"Ow!" groaned Yosuke, still sore from landing on the ground.

"What are you doing here? This place is dangerous!" informed Saemon.

"Yosuke, are you alright?" asked a girl as she ran in to check up on him. It was Chie Satonaka, one of the girls who sat near Yosuke in 3-2.

"Chie? You're here too?" asked Saemon incredulously.

"I'm fine," replied Yosuke.

At that moment, Chie and Yosuke's other friends came into the area to investigate. "Saemon?" asked Yukiko incredulously, gasping upon seeing him.

"What are you doing here?" asked Chie. "How did you get here and what's with that get up? You look like a sorcerer."

"I can't tell you that," he replied. "I don't know how you got here, but you shouldn't have come. It's too dangerous."

"Oh wow! Look at that babe!" remarked Teddie.

Chie looked at the shamelessly naked Scarlet. Her wings, spaded tail, and feral countenance were what drew Chie's attention. "She's..." remarked Chie.

"She's a demon," informed Nanako, manifesting Cherub to scan her and the others. "There's another one flying above us."

Chie and Yosuke immediately backed away from Saemon and Scarlet. Ai and Yukiko, noticing Azathoth floating above, kept a firm watch on him as he moved to rejoin Saemon's group. "Demons? You know about demons?" asked Saemon.

"It seems you do too if you're with them," remarked Chie. "Just who are you?"

"Abel darling, do you know these people?" asked Scarlet.

"Yeah, they're from my school," he replied.

"Abel? He's one of the Bels!" remarked Naoki. "I see, so you're the one pretending to be human! Do you know how much your kind made me suffer? I won't let you hurt anyone else like you did to me!"

Naoki summoned Hell Biker and boarded the motorcycle. "Wait!" cried Nanako, but it was too late.

Naoki had already inflamed Hell Biker and jammed the accelerator. The Investigation Team scattered as he raced by them straight for Saemon. Saemon suddenly vanished in a puff of blue light, reappearing in a new location. Hell Biker turned around and made a beeline for him once again. To defend his master, Azathoth opened his mouth to fire an Atom Smasher. The blue particle bolt struck the ground, triggering a small explosion. Hell Biker swerved away and continued his advance.

"Saemon is a demon too," Nanako informed the others. "His demon name is Abel. He's the King of Bel."

As Hell Biker closed, he lifted his front tire and attempted to drop it onto Saemon. As Hell Biker leaned on the tire, Naoki felt something resisting the downward force. When he looked down, he saw Saemon holding up the bike. Saemon lifted it overhead and hurled it at the movie theatre with Hell Biker and Naoki still on top. Hell Biker uprooted the ticket booth and smashed through a wall on his way into the viewing area. After Naoki and his Persona emerged from the hole, lightning crackled forward from Saemon's fingertips. Naoki winced in pain as it surged across his body.

His body quickly gave out and he collapsed. "I wanted to ask him more, but after this, I don't have any choice!" said Yosuke.

"No!" said Nanako. "He only attacked because Naoki came at him first."

"Still, what should we do?" asked Chie. "He's hurt and needs our help!"

"Stop!" said Naoto, as she immediately got between him and the rest of her team. "That's enough. We won't attack you anymore!"

Saemon dissipated the icy air which had formed around his hand. "You'd better have a good explanation for this," said Saemon.

"This is all a misunderstanding. We just want to ask you some things," said Chie.

"Your friend shouldn't have attacked me. I wasn't responsible for whatever harm he had suffered," stated Saemon.

At that moment, another person dashed into the area, stopping near Saemon to check on him. "Saemon, are you okay?" the person, Midori, asked.

"I'm fine," replied Saemon.

In the meantime, Teddie and Yukiko had retrieved Naoki from the theatre and applied Dia magic to heal his wounds. When he recovered enough to stand, Kanji got straight into his face. "What the hell's wrong with you? Huh?"

"Ah shove it, Kanji! You don't know how what the demons did to me. You don't understand!" retorted Naoki.

"Oh, like hell!" Kanji snapped back. "He wasn't even the one who did those things to you. We got him already."

A few feet away, Midori spoke with Saemon about what had happened. "Saemon, who are they? Why are they here?" she asked.

"They're from my class. Well, a few of them are," he replied. "I think they were here to look for Pabelsag."

Midori looked over the Investigation Team. "Yeah, I see that now. There's Naoto and Yosuke. Naoto's coming over here."

Saemon turned to Naoto. "Saemon," addressed Naoto as she approached. "We should talk somewhere safer, when things have calmed down. We're going to meet at Junes tomorrow for lunch. We'd like you to join us."

"An invitation for lunch? Sure, see you then," replied Saemon.

Saemon received a message from Yuzu through his cellphone. "Saemon," addressed Yuzu, the caller. "I saw Pabelsag, but he saw me and teleported away before I could do anything. He sent demons after me, but Atsuro and I defeated them."

"What happened over there?" asked Atsuro, taking the line from Yuzu. "We see smoke coming from the mall."

"Don't worry. I bumped into some of our classmates from 3-2 there," replied Saemon.

"Really?" asked Yuzu.

"Yeah," confirmed Saemon. "I think they were investigating the Bels like we were. One of them attacked me, thinking I was an enemy. He used a special power to call a demon-like being to fight me."

"You're not hurt, are you?" asked Yuzu.

"I'm fine," replied Saemon. "I took the guy down and Midori's here to back me up too. We're coming back for the night. They've arranged a lunch meeting at Junes tomorrow. We're going to talk to them then, so be there."

* * *

><p>Thursday, August 2, 2012<p>

As the minutes wound down towards noon, members of the Investigation Team started to make their way to the place of the meeting. Yosuke, who worked at Junes, was the first to step through the doors to the food court. He took the group's usual table and waited patiently for the others to arrive. Next to come was Saemon's entire group, with Chie and Yukiko following behind soon after. Five minutes later, the remaining members of the Investigation Team entered the food court and took seats around their standard table. They ordered some food to munch on while carrying out the meeting.

"Okay, now that we're all here," began Naoto. "Saemon, why don't you begin by telling us about yourself?"

"We originally came from a different world other than yours and the Shadow world," began Saemon. "In our world, we have technology which gives us control over the demons. We're part of a group which keeps the system running. I am also the King of Bel, the demon who rules over the other demons that are a part of the system."

"Wow, I'd never expect you to be a demon lord, not in a million years," remarked Yosuke.

"I don't talk about it," said Saemon humbly. "People would be scared if they knew demons existed. We came here because someone had gotten through our system's security. They've been using that vulnerability to bring demons into the Shadow world and even managed to split the Bel demons from me. All this started the trouble you've had to deal with."

"I'll say," remarked Kanji.

"During the week before Saemon became King of Bel, demons were running around all over the area in the Yamanote train line," informed Yuzu. "The government locked the area down while we were still inside to keep them from escaping."

"So you're afraid that a similar lockdown might be set up in Inaba?" asked Yukiko.

"Yeah," replied Yuzu. "Even if that doesn't happen, it's still not good to have the demons loose like this. So, how did you guys find out about them?"

"They kidnapped me," said Nanako. "They did the same thing to Naoki and Ai too."

"I see, so your friends went to rescue the three of you and fought the demons," observed Yuzu.

"To be exact, the demons had kidnapped and murdered other people before they went for Nanako," said Naoto. "It was Nanako's kidnapping that led us to the Bels."

"In that case, thank you," remarked Saemon. "You've done us a big favour. We've eliminated Beldr and Jezebel, so taking into consideration all of the ones that are dead, that leaves only Pabelsag, Belzaboul, and Belberith still at large. We have the same goals, so we should unite towards that end."

"I agree," said Naoto. "Is everyone else in favour?"

The other members all voiced "aye" votes, except for Naoki and Ai. "I still don't fully trust them," he admitted. "I haven't forgotten what the Bels did to me or Ai. I'd watch him if I were you."

"Your objections have been noted. However, the majority has voted 'aye' in favour of the alliance," announced Naoto.

Friday, August 3, 2012

The Survivors brought the Investigation Team to their base in the Shadow world, a group of houses in a quiet neighbourhood of Shadow Inaba. There were guards everywhere. These men and women appeared to be soldiers of the JSDF from their uniforms. The entire area was like a fort. The chain-like fence around the perimeter had barbed wire wrapped along its top. Soldiers and demons constantly patrolled the area. The Survivors and Investigation Team passed by an Abaddon, who simply paid them no attention as it continued its patrol.

Nanako hid behind Yuzu as the huge, blob-like demon approached. "Don't be scared, Nanako. They won't hurt you," assured Yuzu.

"Hey Nanako, I have someone you might like to meet," remarked Midori. "He'll keep the big mean demons away."

Midori summoned a demon which looked like Black Frost, but in different colours. This cute little demon, Jack Frost, was a white snow man in a blue jester's cap and mantle. "Hi hee-ho!" said Jack Frost.

"So cute!" remarked Naoto, as she gave Jack Frost a hug. He was cold to the touch, but that didn't take away from his adorable nature.

"So many soldiers here," remarked Teddie. "It's like you're going to war."

"We take this matter very seriously," said Atsuro. "We know demons can cause a lot of damage if they aren't kept under control."

Fushimi ran over to report something to Atsuro and the others. "Saemon, Atsuro, we have some good news. Thanks to the readings from your comps, my men have triangulated the summoning signatures back to their source," Fushimi reported.

Atsuro was elated to hear this. "Great! Where did it lead?"

"It led to an electronics factory on the other side belonging to Kirijo Electronics," Fushimi reported. "This facility is east of Inaba, between it and Okina City. The signal actually originates from underneath the building. I have sent men and demons to watch and infiltrate this facility. In time, we should learn who they are and what their motives are."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	10. Temp 1:  Jailbreak

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 1: Jailbreak **

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The case of the missing people had stumped Inaba's police department. People would mysteriously disappear, only to be found dead just days later, their bodies infested by maggots and flies. The autopsies of each victim revealed that it was the flies which had killed each victim. They were like bot flies, which laid eggs within their victims. Unlike bot flies, these creatures laid numerous eggs within the same victim, all of which hatched rapidly and burst out of the body near simultaneously. This invariably proved fatal to the victim.

Dojima, seated at his desk, filed through the papers involved in the case. They were so numerous, they nearly buried his desk. They included all known information and records on the victims. Interestingly, the kidnappings had stopped for a few weeks after several of the victims resurfaced safe and sound. When questioned, they spoke about another world and how a fly-like monster had kept them as breeding stock to incubate his flies. It was similar to an earlier kidnapping spree where the victims described being enslaved by another monster who had forced them to transport fecal waste for a black magic ritual.

In both cases, the rescued victims all reported that Naoto was among the teens who rescued them. Dojima knew that Naoto's friends were performing these rescues, just like they did for Nanako. Dojima reclined and thought back to how his nephew, Souji, had told him about another world beyond the TV. Dojima never believed it, but after hearing several witnesses describe the bizarre reddish sky and the eerie, abandoned city, he was reconsidering his original opinion. Since the case touched the supernatural, he wondered if the police were out of their league.

Despite Naoto's rescue efforts, the disappearances restarted again yesterday. He looked over the file of the latest victim, the thirtieth. She was a mere school-aged girl, just shy of Nanako's age, too innocent to hurt anyone and too young to have reached her full potential. The police found her maggot-ridden body in the southern area of downtown Inaba earlier today. She had simply been dumped in an alley, as though she was garbage. Dojima grew weary of reading such morbid and depressing things and decided to take a break. He sipped a cup of coffee and looked up his email.

One of the emails came recently and was from the chief of police for his precinct. Dojima was getting a new partner today to replace Adachi, who had been imprisoned for his role in the murders last year. Dojima looked up the file of his new partner, Akihiko Sanada on his computer. He had attended Gekkoukan High in Iwatodai City, where he was the captain of the school boxing team and a champion before graduation. He entered the police academy the following summer and graduated from there two years later, when he was hired by the Inaba Police Department.

For his first few months, he was largely on basic patrol duty, the standard fare for new recruits, straight forward but unglamourous work. However, as the disappearances and murders increased in number and frequency, the people pressured for more resources put towards solving the case. As a result, the department had to assign more officers to the case and increase hiring to replace the officers. Thus, the chief of police had assigned Sanada to be Dojima's new partner and help him solve the murder case.

Dojima heard knocking on his door. "Come in!" cried Dojima.

A slender male patrol officer with short grey hair came in. He was quite young, barely out of his teens. Dojima recognized the officer as Akihiko Sanada, the officer whose file he was reviewing. "Patrolman Sanada reporting for duty," said Sanada, saluting his new superior.

"Oh come now, we don't need to be so formal," dismissed Dojima. "I'm Ryotaro Dojima, nice to meet you Sanada."

"I'm Akihiko Sanada, nice to meet you too," replied Sanada, shaking Dojima's hand.

Dojima's office phone suddenly started ringing. "Excuse me," apologized Dojima as he picked up the phone. "Another body? Okay, I'll be there." Dojima hung up the phone and turned to Sanada. "Get the car ready, you're going on your first case."

"Yes sir," replied Sanada.

The two officers raced to the scene of the crime as fast as their vehicle could carry them. The area was to the southwest of Junes, in a busy commercial district. As a local convenience store clerk answered the detective's questions, Dojima jotted down everything he said. The incident started when the clerk told his manager that he was going out back to take a break. The clerk reclined against the wall as he flicked on a lighter and lit his cigarette. As he blew out a puff of smoke, he noticed the legs of someone lying on the ground behind a dumpster. The person wore a pair of a grey dress pants, like those worn by salary men.

Curious, the clerk moved closer and found that the person was a corpse! Several maggots were crawling over it, having chewed their way out of the man's blood-covered body. The victim had been so badly mangled and perforated that the clerk went white and his jaw dropped in horror. He felt ill and nearly vomited from seeing that repulsive sight, turning away in disgust. He returned to the store where he informed the manager, who in turn called the police. Dojima thanked him and went to question other people, but could find nothing other than what the clerk had already told him.

When Sanada caught a brief glimpse of this victim, the 31st, he fought off a desire to vomit as he turned away in disgust. "Sanada, stop being such a rookie," remarked Dojima from nearby.

The police had cordoned the area off and already a crowd had gathered by the convenience store, curious to find out what was going on. The people started to gossip and speculate on what had happened. "It was a salary man this time," stated one woman.

"Have your heard?" asked a second. "People have come back alive from the kidnappings. I heard that the Detective Prince saved them."

"You mean Shirogane?" asked the first.

"Yeah," replied the second. "She brought a team of people over to mount a rescue. They say that a demon had captured them and took them to a world inside the TV."

"A world in the TV, like the Midnight Channel?" asked the first.

"Yeah, they said the demon needed sacrifices to perform a black magic ritual so it kidnapped all those people," replied the second.

The coroners bagged the body and loaded it into a truck bound for the crime lab. As the day went on, the crowd around the convenience store thinned out and Dojima and Sanada returned to the station. A few hours later, as night fell on the town of Inaba, the sound of ringing phones started to flood the station. An incident was occurring in the Central Shopping District of Inaba. Concerned and terrified citizens reported seeing two groups of tough-looking young men on motorcycles encounter each other in their neighbourhood.

Each member of the motorcycle gangs stayed in their group, away from the other gang. One of the gangs distinguished themselves by wearing red jackets while the other did so by wearing black ones. Suddenly, a member from each gang dismounted walked up to each other for a confrontation. Since the bystanders stayed well away, watching from behind the curtains of their windows,, they could not make out what they were saying.

The biker in red continued to berate the biker in black. Apparently, the biker in red was trying to goad the black biker into a fight, but he was not falling for it. Members of the red gang called out to their friend, telling him to leave the other biker alone and continue on. The black gang did the same, telling their friend to ignore that punk and continue riding with them. The red biker refused to listen to his friends and shouted something. It was clearly offensive, since the black biker suddenly turned around and punched him! That was all that was needed to send the two gangs into a rage.

Back at the police station, Dojima hung up his cell phone and turned to Sanada. "Sanada, a gang war has just broken out between two biker gangs in the Central Shopping District. We're going in to break it up."

"Yes sir," replied Sanada.

Dojima and Sanada sped towards the scene with their car sirens blazing loudly. They had joined a convoy of a dozen police cars, which flooded Inaba's streets with their flashing crimson lights. The moment the biker gangs heard the sirens approaching, they scrambled for their bikes. A pair of police cars blocked an intersection, cutting off a trio of bikers as they tried to speed away on their motorcycles. As they turned to flee the other way, more cars came and trapped them in the middle.

Dojima and Sanada spotted a pair of black bikers fleeing into an alley, bouncing forward as Dojima slammed on the brakes. Dojima and Sanada exited their vehicle pulling out guns before pursuing the fugitives into the alley. Just moments later, a scream came from deeper into the alley. Dojima and Sanada flanked the entrance to this alley with guns ready. "Back me up, I'm going in," ordered Dojima. Dojima ran into the alley with his gun ready and came face to face with clearly not of this Earth.

It was an obese blue-skinned demon with countless pustules on its skin and an open slit going down its huge belly. The slit was actually a large secondary maw, a sideways mouth filled with jagged teeth and a licking tongue. The creature had no torso. Its head was simply connected directly to its abdomen with its arms seemingly connected to its head. It also had a pair of demonic red wings. The creature was also armed with a sword, which seemed more like a knife compared to its body.

In its secondary maw was the bikers. They were not moving, likely unconscious. Dojima looked up at the creature, slack-jawed in horror. "W... What is that thing?" asked Dojima.

He snapped out of his fear just quickly enough to duck when the creature lunged forward to grab him. Dojima backed away and fired three shots at the creature's face, but the bullets deformed on contact, doing no harm to it. Sanada came from behind and he too was taken aback by the creature's monstrous appearance. He was scared speechless and couldn't even say a word to Dojima for a brief moment. However, he quickly regained his composure enough to train his gun onto it.

"Sanada, we have to get away," said Dojima, ducking the creature's second attempt to lunge at him. Sanada tried to shoot the creature, but his bullets proved just as ineffective as Dojima's, deforming upon hitting the creature's flesh. "Forget it! Guns won't work on him!"

The creature lunged at Sanada, but he sidestepped the blow into the previous alley. He grabbed a nearby trash can and threw it at the creature's face. The creature caught and tossed it away. Sanada and Dojima fled out of the alley with the creature in hot pursuit. It moved surprisingly fast for something of its size and obesity. As they boarded their squad car, the creature caught up to them and banged the rear door, denting it. Even as Dojima jammed on the accelerator to get away, the creature held his car in place. It lifted and flipped the car onto its side.

The creature tore off the driver's door and deposited Dojima in its secondary mouth. With three people stuck in its mouth, the creature had no more room to fit Sanada. The creature left him where he was, in a heap, tangled up in the twisted metal and seat belt at the bottom of the flipped car. Sanada was not moving, having been knocked out from hitting his head against the window of his seat. The creature returned to the alley and vanished as quickly as it came. More sirens rang out in the distance, sounding the arrival of more police and medical staff to help the wounded.

* * *

><p>Thursday, August 9, 2012<p>

The Survivors and the Investigators, now a single unified team, met at Junes. They huddled around Saemon, Yosuke, Naoto, and Keisuke, who each had copies of the daily newspaper in their hands. In it was a story on the biker war which had broken out in the Central Shopping District last night. There were also reports and rumours about demons being loose in the area. Already troubled by Junes' success, the biker gang war and the demonic rampage were like kicking a downed opponent.

Saemon turned the page to read a continuation of the front page story, the gang war and the missing police officers. On the second page were pictures of the demons as witnesses in the area had described them. These creatures had swallowed some of the bikers and even a member of the police force. "Eew gross! What is that thing?" asked Ai as he read over Saemon's shoulder.

"It's an Arioch," replied Saemon. "It is a fictional demon of the sword, vengeance, and chaos. He was once an angel, but followed Lucifer when he rebelled against God and became what he is now."

"They work for Beelzebub, don't they? He's the one sending out these demons, isn't he?" asked Naoki.

"He kidnapped my dad. We have to save him!" said Nanako. "I don't want to lose my dad too!"

"Calm down Nanako," assured Naoto. "You located him where we found Ai, so you've done more than enough. Saemon's people are planning a raid as we speak."

"Yes," replied Saemon. "Although you've disrupted his operations, he managed to regain enough power to summon demonic servants. In fact, Fushimi's men had spotted Belberith on the prison grounds. No doubt, he has allied with Beelzebub. Security is extremely tight after your previous attack, but our alliance could not have come at a better time. Beelzebub will be the toughest opponent you've faced yet. He is Lucifer's right hand and is a Tyrant-class demon. Tyrants are demon lords and are extremely powerful."

"Okay, we get it. He's a bad ass," dismissed Kanji. "How soon can you guys form a plan of attack?"

"He told me he should have a strategy ready by nightfall," reported Saemon.

* * *

><p>Crimson light filtered into Dojima's eye, stirring him into awareness. He didn't know how long he was unconscious, but when he looked out the window, he saw a strange skyline. He bolted upright to take a clearer view. He saw a skyline much like Inaba's, except that the sky rippled with redness and black waves. It was painful and straining on the eyes to look at this bizarre skyline for too long a time. The window was barred with solid steel, ensuring that there was no way he could get out.<p>

Dojima looked around and found himself in a solitary confinement cell with a single cot for a bed and a table and chair for eating and writing. Through the bars of the door, he could see several other cells in his block, many of which contained prisoners. He recognized some of the faces as those from the files he had been reading. They were people who had gone missing due to the string of kidnappings. Despite being a police officer on the kidnapping case, he was ironically one of its victims now.

"So, they caught you too," remarked a man from the cell far across the room.

Dojima went to the front of the cell, which was sealed by bars. The person who had addressed him was in the cell across the room past its open centre. There were catwalks for access to each cell with safety railings to prevent people from falling down the centre. "What is this place?" asked Dojima.

"Prison, if you don't already know," replied the prisoner, a bearded man. "This place's owned by Beelzebub, but his flunky Belberith acts as the warden. Every so often, they'd take one us away, never to come back. I heard rumours that Beelzebub uses us as breeding stock for flies. Yesterday, I heard the buzzing of the flies and one of the prisoners screaming from deeper in the prison."

"So that's why the bodies keep turning up," remarked Dojima.

"Yep, we're nothing more than prisoners on death row, biding our time 'til our execution," replied the man.

Dojima fell silent at the revelation. Is this how he was going to die, as food for maggots? Though he had no clock to tell the time, he could feel the minutes tick by, turning into hours. He had to find a way out of here. Nanako had to be worried sick. He was supposed to be the grown-up, the father who took care of his daughter. Now, he was the one who needed help and couldn't fend for himself. He tugged on the bars, trying to pry them open, but they were far too solid and strong for him to bend.

He gave up trying to bend them and sat down to think of a new way to escape. If he had the powers that Naoto and her friends had, he could easily bust his way out and head home. Alas, he didn't, and his captors had confiscated his gear, so he was helpless. All that he could do was lie on the bed, waiting, contemplating what had led him to this point. It began with the day his wife died, two years earlier. When he heard the news from a fellow officer, he was devastated.

The officer was the one who had cordoned the area where they found her body. Witnesses described a white sedan fleeing the area where the police found his wife Chisato's body. The culprit, realizing what he or she had done, had fled the scene. For the next few years, he continued to pursue the case, hoping to catch that coward. Deep down, he suspected that the perpetrator had fled the country, car and all, safely out of the reach of Japanese law. Despite that, Dojima still clung to the notion that her killer could still be found, that he was still lurking in Japan, one mistake away from being caught.

His thoughts returned him to April 11, 2011, the day Souji came through that train station to stay with him for the year. Souji was generally a good kid, but Dojima always suspected that he was up to something, especially in relation to the murder case that year. He remembered those chats at the dinner table. Ultimately, Souji had shown him that Nanako was just as devastated by her mother's loss, if not more so. Souji had made him realize the irony of his situation, that he was pursuing a criminal who fled a crime scene simply to escape having to relate to his daughter.

After this revelation, he started spending more time with his daughter, both to reforge their relationship and to connect with what was important. Fate had such a perverse sense of humour if his current situation was any indication. He was locked in a demon's prison, awaiting his turn to die. After making inroads into bonding with his daughter, fate would deny him that chance anyways. If only fate would have mercy on him, he would continue his efforts and mend the rift between father and daughter.

Dojima closed his eyes. A voice resounded from deep within the sea of his soul. It said "Thou art I and I am thou..."

"Hm?" he wondered, his eyes opening up to look around. He thought it might have been one of the other prisoners, but none of them were calling him.

The image of a bald man with vibrant orange skin appeared before him. The man was dressed in white trousers and a matching scarf. He was seated on a cloud, beaming sun light from his very face. "From the sea of your soul, I have arrived to set you free. I am Hachiman, the God of Eight Banners. Use my power to protect those closest to you."

Hachiman transformed into a glowing tarot card and descended before Dojima, his new master. "So, this is Persona," remarked Dojima. "I see, this is how I will return to her."

At that moment, a guard came by to check up on Dojima. The guard was a rotund, blue-skinned man with the head of an elephant. He wore great amounts of gold on him, from his armour to his crown and his jewellery, which included several ear rings. This creature was armed with a scimitar-like sword. Dojima recognized this elephant-man from the statues and idols of him in various Indian households and stores. The creature was Ganesh, the Lord of Beginnings, who was heavily worshipped by Hindus and other neighbouring cultures.

"The master says you're next. Let's go," ordered the Ganesh.

This was the moment Dojima was waiting for. The moment the Ganesh guard opened the door, Dojima summoned Hachiman and let loose with a Zio spell. The air crackled with electricity as the guard was wracked by spasms and convulsions. The demon could take no more and burst into blobs of darkness. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the prison! An alarm klaxon started to blare loudly, followed by several gunshots ringing from the outside. A second explosion resounded as Dojima peeked out, seeing several demonic guards scrambling down the neighbouring hallway.

Despite the klaxon blaring, Dojima could make out a female voice addressing him from within his mind. "Dad, can you hear me?" asked Nanako's voice.

"Nanako?" Dojima called out, while glancing around for her. "Where are you?"

"I'm outside the prison. My friends are coming to rescue you, but it looks like you broke out on your own. That's my dad!" cheered Nanako. "Go to the yard at the north east side of the building. My friends are fighting their way in from there."

"Okay," replied Dojima.

Dojima followed Nanako's directions, which took him down a flight of stairs. As he entered the first floor corridor, a Ganesh guard drew his sword and advanced at him. The Ganesh inhaled and spewed a powerful gust of wind from his trunk. Dojima formed a barrier of solid light just before the wind could wash all over him. When the gust hit the barrier, it immediately changed direction, travelling back to the Ganesh! The demon immediately covered up, nearly bowled over by his own attack. Dojima summoned Hachiman and unleashed Zio, electrocuting the creature until it burst into blobs of darkness.

Dojima continued on his way, reaching a yard where prisoners went for recreation. Several guards were fighting a group of invading people and demons. Many of them were killed after having a fireball land in their midst and explode. He spotted Yosuke and Susanoo, cutting down a Decarabia. A teen in a black cloak emitted lightning from his fingertips. It struck an Arioch, the very same type of demon who had captured him. The Arioch tumbled back, crackling with electricity, before crumbling into blobs of darkness.

Yosuke noticed Dojima and pointed him out to the cloaked teen. He then said something that was made unintelligible by the noise in the area. The cloaked teen nodded and said something to Yosuke before leaving. "Dojima, I'm glad you're safe. The way behind us is clear. Nanako's waiting for you."

"Thanks, I'm heading there now," said Dojima. He fled through a hole in the wall, which had been punched open by one of the previous explosions.

Meanwhile, the cloaked teen, Saemon, found Naoto inside the prison, scanning each hallway to ascertain their next direction. She was with Yukiko and Chie, with Yosuke joining up just seconds afterwards. "I'll go on ahead to free the prisoners," offered Saemon. "You guys get Belberith."

"Okay, let's go," said Naoto.

Saemon's demon squad travelled up the nearby stairs to the wing which overlooked both northern courtyards. Naoto's group went deeper into the prison, before ascending a staircase up to the central block. As they travelled, the explosions and gunshots slowed down in number and intensity. The prison guards had been decimated by the swift and devastating attack of the Survivor and Investigator alliance. Everywhere, they saw damaged walls and blast marks from battles which broke out in the prison.

A Ganesh guard rounded a corner and advanced threateningly at Naoto. She immediately fired her revolver, stunning the creature. Yukiko called on Amaterasu, letting loose with a torrent of roaring flame which formed a ring around the Ganesh before incinerating it. The guard dispersed into blobs of darkness. With him dead, the group continued its advance to Belberith's location, deep in the administrative offices of the prison. They came upon a pair of wooden doors, flanked by Ganesh guards. The two immediately drew their weapons and advanced.

Yukiko trapped one with a ring of fire. The guard cowered as the ring of flame licked at him painfully. The fire closed in until he was melted into blobs of darkness. Chie sent in Suzuka Gongen, who started off the battle by coating her dual-bladed lightsaber with ice. With quick twirl, she cut down the second guard, freezing the gash as the weapon sliced into his body. With a swift kick, Chie shattered the ice, and the guard broke into blobs of darkness. As they approached the now undefended doors, Yosuke and Naoto kicked them open and marched straight into Warden Belberith's offices.

Stripped of the power of the other Bels, he resembled a knight armed with a trident seated on a blood-red horse. With the visor concealing his face, only a pair of yellow eyes could be seen through the opening. "My my, you sure know how to make an entrance. It's not often that someone wants to break into prison instead of out," remarked Belberith.

"We're shutting this place down," said Yosuke. "It's caused everyone enough trouble as it is."

"Where's Beelzebub?" asked Naoto.

"He's out on important business, but that doesn't matter. I'm more than capable of dealing with the likes of you," replied Belberith.

Belberith aimed his trident and charged at the group. The Investigators rolled out of the way as the knight went barrelling by. He stopped and turned to face his foes. Naoto drew her gun and began pelting Belberith with bullets. The shots seemed to stagger the demon, but other than that, he didn't seem particularly bothered by them. He reared his trident back and thrust a massive blast of electricity. Naoto got hit and winced in pain as the electricity tried to cause convulsions in her body. Belberith continued the discharge and Naoto had to back away.

Yosuke unleashed a wave of powerful air, knocking both Belberith and his mount onto the ground. As the team closed on his fallen body, Yukiko felt a draft from behind. She turned to see a Ganesh guard was approaching to help its master. "Behind us!" called Yukiko.

Naoto turned around and unleashed a Mudo spell upon the guard. The black void sucked in the guard, revealing another just behind the first, ready to take his place. "We'll hold the rear. You guys finish off Belberith."

"We've got it," replied Yosuke.

Yosuke unleashed another Divine Wind upon Belberith, who was still reeling on the ground. It sent Belberith hurtling back towards the wall. The wall gave out from the impact and brick and mortar went flying everywhere as it burst open. Belberith tumbled into the southeastern courtyard, where Yosuke dropped down to pursue him. The others followed seconds afterwards. Having lost his weapon, Belberith immediately got up and tackled Yosuke as he approached. Yosuke fell over as the demon climbed on and threw punches to his face.

Susanoo tried to grab the demon and throw him off, but Belberith shoved Susanoo away. Susanoo tried again, but Belberith got annoyed, grabbed him, and threw him away. Chie launched into a flying kick, aimed straight for Belberith's face. Belberith tilted his head rightward, causing Chie to overshoot and land behind him. However, in doing so, he lost his balance and Susanoo was able to dive tackle him and successfully knocked him off Yosuke. Belberith kicked Susanoo away and got up.

The air crackled as Belberith filled it with electricity. He forked the lightning towards the team, who covered themselves in self-defence. Naoto's team winced as the electricity burned their flesh. Yosuke backed away behind his teammates, who held the line. He cast Sukukaja, creating several illusory clones of himself and his teammates. The burning stopped as the electricity forked to hit them fruitlessly. Yosuke hurled a Divine Wind, knocking Belberith down.

As Belberith started to rise, Naoto summoned a Persona which represented an Indian deity. The four-armed, yellow-skinned god wore a golden crown and much jewellery on his body. In his hands, he carried a lotus flower, a club, and a conch shell. In the remaining hand, he was twirling a chakram with a single finger. This Persona was Vishnu, the Preserver, one of the chief Hindu gods. Vishnu hurled his chakram, which sawed into Belberith's body, breaking him into dark blobs.

Elsewhere, in parts unknown of the Shadow world, an Arioch ran over to his master, the Lord of the Flies, Beelzebub. "Master, the prison has been sacked and Belberith is dead. What should we do?" asked the demon.

"Nothing," replied Beelzebub. "The prison has served its purpose. I have met with Lord Lucifer and received new orders. For now, we shall lie low."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	11. Temp 2: Kirijo Kidnapping

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 2: Kirijo Kidnapping **

Friday, August 10, 2012

After emerging victorious over Belberith, the Investigation team went from cell to cell, releasing every man and woman trapped in there. Where there were unhatched fly eggs, the team incinerated or otherwise destroyed it. Each prison was grateful for their rescue and being spared the gruesome fate of the dead. Following his own rescue, Dojima had been given time off by the Inaba Police Department to recuperate. Now that he had a Persona too, in the form of Hachiman, he knew too much about the Shadow world to be kept in the dark.

Nanako brought him to their usual meeting place in the food court of Junes. Dojima's mind buzzed with numerous questions, as a detective was apt to doing when on a case. The team answered everything they could to the best of their knowledge. "So all this Shadow and TV world stuff happened last year too and that now, demons are invading the town?" asked Dojima incredulously.

"Yeah," replied Kanji.

"Again, someone broke into our system. We don't know who, but they have to be stopped and soon," said Atsuro.

"Even so, I can't allow Nanako to be put in any more danger," said Dojima.

"...But we need her!" said Chie.

"If it wasn't for her help, we might not have found you," said Naoto matter-of-factly. "You and the other victims are lucky to be alive now."

"Dad, I don't care if you say 'no.' I'll still find a way to help them," said Nanako defiantly.

Dojima sighed. Nanako was growing up so fast. Not only did she resemble her mother, she was also starting to act like her too. His wife had a somewhat stubborn streak to her, wanting to do things her way. He largely played along since he trusted her to have a good head on her shoulders. Despite that stubborn streak, she was always a loving wife who only wanted what she believed was the best for her husband and daughter. Though Dojima didn't like it, he knew Nanako would find ways to slip out of his grasp.

"Alright, I know when I'm beaten," said Dojima, admitting defeat. "At least if I'm around, I can protect her."

"So, does this mean you're going to be coming with us on trips to the other side?" asked Yosuke.

"My job will make that difficult," lamented Dojima. "I'll try to when I can, but I can't make any guarantees."

"This isn't something the police can resolve on their own," said Naoto. "Dealing with the supernatural isn't something they are equipped to do."

"I know," replied Dojima.

"Despite that, however you want to proceed, we'll respect your wishes," said Naoto. "We always keep someone in reserve to protect Nanako from harm."

"That's fair," remarked Dojima. "So, what about this Kirijo Group lead? What have you found so far?"

"Colonel Fushimi is going to raid the factory on Monday," replied Saemon. "I'm hoping they will seize information that will explain how they are bypassing our security. If they can find out who is responsible for all this, even better."

* * *

><p>Monday, August 13, 2012<p>

A calm starry night set over the Kirijo Electronics factory between Inaba and Okina. On the roof, smokestacks rose into the sky, momentarily dormant while its workers rested for the night. At the front, a blue sign indicating the factory's name rested on a small concrete island, displaying the company slogan "bringing you the future." The crickets chirped away, the only thing breaking the silence of a warm summer night in Japan.

Several black vans approached and surrounded the factory. Numerous men and women in black uniforms, bulletproof vests, and ski masks emerged from the vehicles. They loaded their assault rifles and formed groups near the entrances to the building. The terrorist-like men quickly advanced into the building, where they encountered a patrolling security guard in the lobby. The entry team immediately trained their weapons on him.

"FREEZE!" the leader of the squad demanded. "Hands in the air!"

The guard, too terrified to fight back, immediately complied with the leader's order. They forced the guard onto the ground, where one of the men handcuffed his hands to his back. Some other men came in from the vans and put a sack over his head before leading him out into a van. The team delved deeper into the factory, arresting security guards and janitors all along the way. They eventually bagged the heads of each captured person and gathered them in their vans.

When the team reached the deepest section of the factory, they found a solid steel door blocking the way to a stairwell which led to the basement. Since the door was too thick and strong to bust open. One of the men retrieved a forged key card and swiped it through a nearby card reader. The lock dinged and the door popped open. The team descended a flight of metal stairs and found themselves in the basement, which had numerous secure steel doors. Each door led to a lab which had plastic, fully sealed windows allowing visibility into the lab itself.

The main, largest lab was a large room filled with massive, clear plastic canisters jars filled with black ooze. These oozes gave off a familiar, yet sinister sensation. Via wires, these jars were connected to computers which seemed to gather readings on the oozes. Another team entered what appeared to be a secondary factory floor. The most interesting item there was a man-sized, cylindrical device mounted on a small tripod. The device appeared to be able to spin on a vertical axis and had unknown mystical symbols etched on its side. It was connected to diagnostic computers by several wires.

* * *

><p>Tuesday, August 14, 2012<p>

The Survivors looked over the items Fushimi had seized in their raid. Fushimi's men had taken nearly everything in the factory that wasn't nailed down, from samples of Kirijo technology to hard drives, schematics, and dossiers in the factory. Though it would take a long time to sort through everything, Atsuro was up to the task, as was Naoto. They began with the hard drives, looking through them on a laptop, but so far, the only things they saw on them were related to sales or merely correspondence between workers in the factory. From the emails and memos, all of these things were materials for a mysterious "Project C."

One type of item in particular stood out from the others. It was the strange cylindrical device or drum. Saemon looked over the item, strongly drawn to its unusual appearance. He had a sense of familiarity from viewing it which put him ill at ease. "Saemon, do you recognize this thing?" asked Yuzu as he looked it over with Saemon.

"I get the feeling that I've seen this item before, but I can't put my finger on it," he replied.

"When we found this thing, it was hooked up to a computer by wires. It looked like the Kirijo Group was testing it," informed Izuna.

"I see," remarked Saemon. "So they were trying to build it..."

Atsuro and Naoto continued to examine the hard drives and found an old email between a Hiroshi Matsumoto and the Kirijo Group's head, Mitsuru Kirijo. Matsumoto, the head of the electronics division, was requesting funds to expand his business. He cited the highly profitable previous business quarter as justification to issue more funds to it. Mitsuru agreed with Matsumoto's assessment and promised to authorize the funding.

"So the plot thickens," remarked Naoto.

Atsuro continued to scan the documents and found one by a scientist under Matsumoto. From the contents, Matsumoto's team had harnessed the Shadows' power over time, space, and even reality. They learned about the demons through a vision from the Shadows. The Shadows also revealed the demon Babel and the computer system which harnessed its power to summon and control demons. Using the power of the Shadows, they gained access to and altered the computer system to enable them to control it to some degree, effectively creating a back door.

Matsumoto's group had little control over the demons at first. The first demon they tried to summon, an Abaddon, ran amok in their lab, doing significant damage. They eventually used their technology to dump the Abaddon in the Shadow world to escape its rampage. As time progressed, they refined their system, summoning stronger demons and with more control. Eventually, Matsumoto's teams began summoning the Bels themselves, culminating with the binding of Pabelsag under their control. The drum-like device was one of the newer tools they had developed to help summon demons.

When he read that document, Atsuro looked over at the drum. "So this thing is like a big comp. I'll have to reprogram the Babel system to block the Shadows access. I'll let Fushimi know later," remarked Atsuro.

When Fushimi and Saemon received the reports from Naoto and Atsuro, Fushimi already knew his next move. "We are going for a decapitation strategy while we still have the initiative. We are going to capture Mitsuru Kirijo and Hiroshi Matsumoto," he stated flatly. "Shirogane, Kihara, I want you to focus your research efforts on these two individuals."

Atsuro and Naoto focused their research on Mitsuru Kirijo and Hiroshi Matsumoto, finding several nuggets on Mitsuru. They looked over some pictures and articles from the media on her relating to big Kirijo Group events. Mitsuru was the last remaining heir of her family's company. Photos showed her to be a strongly feminine, red-headed woman in her twenties. She had a very noble, high society demeanour. She especially liked to wear white blouses or turtlenecks and heeled shoes or boots.

"Wow, she's so young!" remarked Atsuro. "She could have been one of my seniors in school."

Naoto opened a Gekkoukan yearbook to pictures of the various clubs. "Look at this picture," said Naoto, pointing to the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, or SEES. Her finger was on a teenaged boy who looked stunningly like Saemon! "Isn't that Saemon in the photo?"

Atsuro did a double-take on seeing the photo. "Yeah, he looks so much like him. I really have to look carefully to tell them apart." Atsuro looked over the list of names. "Hmm, he's Minato Arisato."

"Sanada was in this club too," noted Naoto, pointing to his picture, which was just to the right of Arisato's. "It appears the three of them knew each other."

"This is interesting," remarked Atsuro. "I'll report this to Fushimi."

When Atsuro showed Fushimi the photos, he studied every detail on her to commit the image of his prey to memory. Atsuro also mentioned her connection to Akihiko Sanada, who was Dojima's current police partner. "I see, good work. I'll distribute copies of these pictures to my men so we can identify her. As for her connection to Sanada, it is best that nobody mention this, at least until we have captured her."

"I understand," said Atsuro.

* * *

><p>Sunday, August 26, 2012<p>

At her luxurious mansion somewhere outside Iwatodai City, Mitsuru Kirijo was seated on a small wooden love seat with beige cushions. Her room was a spacious abode with a large flat screen television and a bed in the corner. The room had a decidedly feminine appearance to it, with lighter and brighter colours and a soft aura to it. She held a cell phone up to her ear and was talking to an old friend, Akihiko Sanada, who had recently gotten a job at the Inaba Police Department. He was even promoted up to being a detective's partner.

While she had heard from Sanada that he had been injured on the first day of his new position, he was recovering steadily and rapidly. "Good news, Mitsuru, my doctor had just given me the green light to go to Yakushima tomorrow," informed Sanada.

"That's great!" remarked Mitsuru.

"Yeah, but I was told not to engage in anything too strenuous. I'm still not at 100% yet, so I gotta take it easy," said Sanada.

"Did you find anything new about whoever or whatever did this to you?"

"Unfortunately no," replied Sanada. "Although Dojima came back with the other victims, he wasn't very talkative about his experiences there. Honestly, I don't blame him. I thought that monster might have been a Shadow, but it didn't look or act like any Shadow I've ever seen before, so I'm not sure. How are things going at your end? I've heard someone broke into one of your factories."

"Yeah, they took grabbed things from the factory's R&D lab in the basement. My security believes these people were professionals, possibly police or military. They sabotaged the security system before they entered and were in and out very quickly. They knew what they were doing. It's a good thing no one was hurt during the raid."

"I haven't heard anything about that incident from my end, unfortunately," informed Sanada. "I'll tell you immediately if I find anything new."

"Of course. Listen, I'm going on ahead to Yakushima. I'll meet you later this evening."

"Sounds like a plan. See you then," said Sanada, hanging up the phone.

Mitsuru changed into her street shoes before heading out to meet her limo driver. The black-haired driver opened the door for her and helped her get seated in the back. He started the engine, the windows slid closed and the air conditioner started whirring in the background. The limo pulled out of the driveway and travelled some distance before entering a highway. It picked up speed to keep pace with the faster traffic. Even with the greater speed, the trip was so long that Mitsuru's throat started to get dry.

She opened a nearby liquor case and poured herself a glass of wine. The driver, seeing her sip the wine in his rear view mirror, let out a sinister smirk that went unnoticed. Mitsuru savoured the taste of the wine on her tongue. After a few more minutes on the road, her vision started to blur. Her eyelids became heavy and started to droop from what she thought was a long and monotonous journey. She let her eyes close and dozed off, her head slumping onto the side of the limo.

In the front, the driver let out a satisfied grin, like the Cheshire Cat. A brief flicker rippled over his form. His face momentarily vanished, revealing a skull covered by a black shroud. With his true, death-like face exposed, the driver almost seemed to cackle with glee at his handy work. The illusion flickered back into existence, covering the driver's face once again. The limo continued on its way down the highway, until it took a right turn into the wilderness outside of Iwatodai.

* * *

><p>Monday, August 27, 2012<p>

All was dark for Mitsuru Kirijo. She had dozed off after sipping some wine during her limo ride to the boat which would take her to Yakushima. When her eyes groggily opened, the light of a fluorescent ceiling light filtered into her eyes. As she regained her senses, she sat up and found herself in the basement of a house with only a single oaken door at the far side of the room. The top portion of the door had a single square opening. This opening was covered by a hatch which opened from the outside.

Somebody opened the hatch, revealing the bronze mask on his face. The mask had red markings which represented eyes and a mouth. From the window, the rest of the creature's body was not visible. The creature was as Ongyo-Ki, an oni, and was apparently Mitsuru's guard. "You're awake... The boss wants to speak with you."

Ongyo-Ki opened the door, handcuffed Mitsuru, and led her out of her cell. A second Ongyo-Ki flanked Mitsuru and the two brought her across a street to a second house. Along the way, Mitsuru caught sight of the bizarre, rippling red and black sky of the Shadow world. Somehow, she was not in the real world anymore, but had no time to ponder that. The Ongyo-ki took her into a room lit by a spotlight with only a single chair and a black screen in front of it. They put Mitsuru into the chair and locked the door behind them upon leaving.

A voice introduced himself over the speaker system and blitzed her with questions about the Kirijo Group and its involvement with demons. They asked her about Project C, the research project which the Kirijo Group had undertaken to bind demons. "I don't know what you're talking about," replied Mitsuru, one of her many denials.

"We have documents with your name on it," said the voice. "You are funding research into the control of demons. Do not try to lie to us!"

A picture of a memo appeared on the black screen. "I only gave him money to help finance production of new chips for smart phones," denied Mitsuru. "This isn't for some secret project!"

"Who are you trying to fool?" asked the interrogator. "We found the lab. We know what went on in there."

On and on the interrogation went, with the interrogator blitzing her with questions, accusations and demanding her to respond to them. Mitsuru responded by denying everything, from the accusations and to having any knowledge about the Kirijo Group's involvement in the occult. After hours of this fruitless cycle, the interrogator sent Mitsuru back to her cell. Fushimi searched out Saemon and reported his findings. "Ichihara, I'm afraid we weren't able to find out anything from Ms. Kirijo yet."

"Damn," remarked Saemon. "Keep trying, maybe she'll change her mind later. Let's give her time to reflect before we ask her again."

The next few days went by like before, when Fushimi took her back in for more questioning. Mitsuru still wouldn't tell them anything new about the Kirijo Group's activities. As the Ongyo-Ki escorted her out once again, Saemon just happened to be outside of the interrogation building, talking to Atsuro. When the procession emerged from the door, Saemon looked at them to see what the commotion was all about. At the same time, Mitsuru took a good look at Saemon's face and did a double-take.

"Mi... Minato?" Saemon was puzzled and pointed to himself as though asking if she was talking about him. "Yes, you. You're alive? How is possible?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," replied Saemon.

"Move it lady," ordered the Ongyo-Ki, who rudely grabbed her and pulled her away from Saemon.

The other turned to Saemon. "Sorry about this, Lord Abel. We'll take the prisoner straight to her cell."

The Ongyo-Ki did as promised, leaving Saemon to ponder what just happened. "What was that about?" Saemon asked Atsuro.

Atsuro remembered what he saw when he was doing a background check on Mitsuru. "You look like her friend from high school," informed Atsuro. "His name was Minato Arisato. He and Mitsuru were part of a club called the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, or SEES, when she attended Gekkoukan High School."

"Ah, I see," agreed Saemon.

"Come to think of it, this might be how we can get her to talk. Let's talk to Fushimi about this," suggested Atsuro.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	12. Temp 3: Arisato's Doppelganger

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 3: Arisato's Doppelganger **

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Atsuro called for a meeting in the Shadow world to report on his and Naoto's findings. He told the team about the Kirijo Group's involvement. Fushimi made efforts to capture them, successfully getting Mitsuru Kirijo. He tried to nab Matsumoto too, but Matsumoto had been tipped off after her capture, increasing security around himself which thwarted Fushimi's attempt to get to him. Despite being thwarted, getting Mitsuru was quite a coup. Fushimi had started interrogating her, but she had not revealed anything of note yet. Atsuro handed out a high school yearbook photo of her to show them what she looked like.

"That's her? Wow! What a woman!" remarked Teddie on seeing Mitsuru's face.

"She's like a princess," remarked Ai. "She's everything I wanted to be."

"Oh yeah," remarked Yosuke. "She's rich, she's beautiful, just unbelievable. She's my dream girl!"

"Let me see that," demanded Chie, snatching the photo from Yosuke's hand. "Wow! She's so glamourous! I can't compete with that!"

"So you say Fushimi caught her?" asked Yuzu.

"Yep," replied Atsuro. "I've also figured out how they were summoning the demons. They were using Shadows to do it."

"Shadows?" asked Teddie.

"That's right," replied Atsuro. "The Kirijo Group had found a way to harness their power. With some work, I can change the Babel system so their technology won't work anymore and banish any demons they had brought in except Pabelsag and Beelzebub. We'll have to track them down and eliminate them ourselves."

"Good," remarked Keisuke. "That means we can resolved this situation very quickly."

"There's still one problem," said Atsuro. "I can only unsummondemons brought in with the Babel system. I've noticed from their files that they've been researching ways to summon demons not under the King of Bel. If they find one, not even Babel can unsummon them."

"So was this all for nothing?" asked Yuzu.

"Not exactly," replied Atsuro. "Nearly all of their demons are under the King of Bel. If we unsummon them, we've removed nearly their entire army."

"Nice!" remarked Yosuke.

"There's one more thing I have to say," stated Naoto. "It concerns Akihiko Sanada."

"My partner?" asked Dojima. "What's this about?"

"Mitsuru Kirijo and Sanada knew each other from high school. Apparently, they were very close friends. We have to be careful not to let him know that Fushimi has her imprisoned," replied Naoto.

"I see," said Dojima.

* * *

><p>Mitsuru sat on her bed in her makeshift cell in the Shadow world, contemplating her predicament and how she might escape it. This strange military force had taken her captive, thinking she was part of a secret research group in the Kirijo Group known as Project C. This group seemed to have strange creatures, likely the demons they had mentioned in their questioning of her. Mitsuru honestly did not know what they were talking about. That factory was merely an electronics factory. There were no super secret projects for summoning anything in there.<p>

Through a crack in the door, she saw a figure shifting on the other side. Apparently, a new guard was starting his shift, while the old one left to take his break. Several minutes passed and Mitsuru noticed more shifting through the same crack. "I want to see the prisoner," said someone from the other side.

"Of course my lord," replied the guard.

The hatch popped open and Mitsuru ran up to see outside. Saemon, or 'Minato,' was there with the Ongyo-ki guard. "I wish to be alone with her. Please leave for now," ordered 'Minato.'

"Of course my lord," replied the guard.

'Minato' approached the opening. "I've been told you wish to see me?"

"Yes! You don't know how relieved I am to see you. I have so many questions, but they can wait. You have to get me out of here!" said Mitsuru smiling. She felt relief to see her late friend alive and well, but also desperation to escape this prison.

"I can't do that. They want you for researching into demons and the occult. Where they're from, that could get you into a lot of trouble," began 'Minato.'

"I'm innocent," said Mitsuru. "It must be Matsumoto. He's trying to set me up. I would never approve any of this."

"What can I do? I may be a leader here, but they're not just going to let you go just because I say so," said 'Minato.'

"There has to be something you can do?" asked Mitsuru.

'Minato' fell silent for a moment, contemplating his next course of action. "There might be one thing, but it's risky. If I'm found out, I'm in serious trouble."

"Don't worry. What are you going to do?" asked Mitsuru.

"First, I'll give you a Fairy demon, Titania, to help you."

'Minato' balled his hand and opened it, revealing her to Mitsuru. The tiny fairy curtsied to Mitsuru. "Hello!" said Titania.

"How can she help me?" asked Mitsuru.

"Titania knows several useful magic spells. Right now, she's using magic to keep herself small so no one will notice her. Within the next few days, I will order a raid on a Shadow nest as a training exercise. During that time, the guard will be thinner. Titania will let you know, so make your move then," replied 'Minato.'

"Okay," agreed Mitsuru.

"I'll be going now. They might get suspicious if I talk to you for too long," said 'Minato.'

* * *

><p>Sunday, September 2, 2012<p>

A convoy of jeeps and trucks travelled south down the road in Shadow Inaba. The unified team of the Survivors and the Investigators were on these vehicles, speeding down the asphalt roads of the town. Fushimi had learned of a Shadow nest in downtown Shadow Inaba. His aerial demons spotted these creatures wandering the area around a high rise apartment building. Normally, Fushimi's men would take care of this one, since it was a weak nest. Instead, Saemon had insisted on taking his friends and the Investigators along as one last training exercise before school restarted.

"Saemon, is this really a good idea?" asked Keisuke. "I mean, is it wise to take so many of our base's troops on this exercise?"

"Don't worry," assured Saemon. "Izuna's staying back with some of our best men. Summer is almost over, so we need to get in one last training session before everyone gets bogged down by school."

The group reached their destination, the high rise, complete with an underground parking lot for their vehicles. The soldiers that came with them had set up a temporary base of operations there, with all of the amenities from communications equipment to an infirmary for the wounded. Yuzu summoned Suzaku, who carried her team up top to begin clearing the building from the roof down. Naoto led the other group, entering the lobby of the high rise to clear it from the bottom up.

Naoto's group passed through the doors, coming to a series of hallways with numerous apartments separated from the hallway by wooden doors. The interior was much larger than the outside suggested. Dojima's group opened the door listed as "101" and he burst in with a gun drawn. The room contained a Shadow resembling a miniature castle or fortress with numerous cannon emplacements. It had stubby, elephantine legs which enabled it to move about. Dojima's revolver blazed as he fired, moving rightward to flank it. His bullets pinged off of the Castle's stone body, doing little damage against it.

The Castle turned to him and opened fire, forcing Dojima to cover up. Ai followed him in and summoned Alraune, who extended vines from her body and entwined the Castle until it couldn't move. Her follow-up Mustard Bomb struck the Castle's front and exploded, releasing a mustard-coloured gas which stung its eyes. The Castle began firing randomly and blindly trying to get to them. Dojima immediately cast Rakukaja, surrounding himself and Ai with an aura of blue light. The Castle's stray fire hit them, but the light protected them, as they covered up to withstand the barrage.

Dojima sprayed a torrent of ice and snow, freezing the Castle solid. With a single bullet, he shattered the Castle to pieces. "Good work, you two, there are two Shadows in the next room over," informed Nanako. "I'm going to banish one of them."

A flicker of light came from the door at the back of the vacant apartment. Ai opened the door and entered, finding a distracted, red-robed Magus. She hurled a trio of shuriken into its back as she moved rightward to its flank. The Magus stumble forward, but quickly put up Rakukaja as he turned to face his attacker. The Magus lobbed a ball of flame, which Ai withstood by covering up with Alraune's vines. Dojima entered the room and unloaded several bullets into the Magus, but his shots did little damage.

Dojima immediately cast Dekaja, causing a heat-like wave to wash over the Magus. The Magus' blue aura flickered and vanished. "Dad, use electricity on it," said Nanako telepathically. "That Shadow is weak to it."

Dojima extended tendrils of electricity from his free hand. The Magus convulsed as the intense power surged throughout his body. Even after Dojima stopped the flow of electricity, the Magus continued to convulse uncontrollably and randomly from lingering electricity. Alraune reared back and breathed a foul green mist upon the Magus. He gagged upon the toxic gas and collapsed on the ground, vanishing in blobs of darkness. Ai nodded to Dojima and the two went to the next room to clean out the Shadows there.

* * *

><p>As the Demon Hunters cleared the high rise apartment, Mitsuru waited anxiously back in her cell. She heard something metal jingle outside and looked at the door. The knob turned and the door opened, revealing Titania at her natural height on the other side. She had stolen the guard's key and used it to free Mitsuru. "Let's go!" she said. "The others are out training. This is our chance!"<p>

"I'm right behind you," assured Mitsuru.

Titania shrunk again and Mitsuru followed her out of the room, noticing a humanoid creature sleeping on the seat next to the wall. The creature had red skin and wore a small, dark blue Japanese tunic. From its jagged teeth and demonic appearance, Mitsuru recognized the creature as an oni. The oni was fast asleep, totally unaware of her presence. "I put him to sleep. Don't worry, he won't be waking up until we're long gone," assured Titania.

As they approached the kitchen in the back of the house, Titania told her to "get down!" Mitsuru did as she was instructed and noticed a soldier standing on lookout at a roof some distance away. "There are guards lurking on the roofs. We have to be careful."

Mitsuru stealthily moved next to the window and looked out. "I'm going to scout on ahead," said Titania. "Stay here and hide until I come back." Mitsuru ducked under the counter top and remained out of view until her friend returned a minute later. "There is a spare soldier's uniform in the neighbouring house. Go in from the back and put on the uniform."

Mitsuru had entered the neighbouring house without incident. She travelled down to the basement, where the washing room was kept. On top of the dryer was a basket filled with spare uniforms for soldiers guarding the base. She took one which matched her size and put it on, completing her disguise with a green cap. "Titania, I need to get my things back. Do you know where they might be?"

"They probably keep them in the same house with the items confiscated from the Project C lab. It's across the street from the front and three houses up the block. When you go there, try to act natural. There are sure to be guards out and about. If you don't act suspicious, they won't call you out."

Mitsuru followed Titania's directions, making sure to walk at an even, natural pace. Inside the house, her jailors had stored several hard drives and other items taken from the Project C lab under lock and key. In the basement, Mitsuru saw a table with a silver, gun-like device on it. The "gun" was attached to a diagnostic computer via a set of red wires. This gun-like device was actually Mitsuru's evoker, the tool which enabled her to summon her Persona. She did a basic inspection and found it was in working order and pocketed it. She found her wallet in a nearby cabinet and claimed it.

She left the house through the back, running southward, deeper into Shadow Inaba through alleyways to avoid highly visible streets. "Okay, I think is far enough," said Titania.

Mitsuru, drained and breathing heavily from all of the running, propped herself on a wall of a supermarket to catch her breath. "I don't think I've ever run this far in my life," she gasped between breaths.

"We have to find a TV set. Lord Abel's friends use them to go to the other side and back. We can use it to enter the other side," informed Titania.

"What do you mean by the other side?" asked Mitsuru.

"I mean the human world. Right now, we're in the Shadow world, where all the Shadows live," replied Titania.

Mitsuru pondered this interesting nugget of information. While she knew this could not be the human world, she was surprised to learn that this strange world was actually the Shadow world. Although she knew of the Kirijo Group's Shadow research, she never really knew how they came to learn about and acquire Shadows in the first place. For her whole life, she was more concerned with stopping the threat of the Shadows than understanding their origins. Apparently, the Kirijo Group must have somehow found a way to access this strange world.

However, another question entered her mind. "Titania, why do you address Minato as 'Lord Abel?'" asked Mitsuru.

"That's who he is," replied Titania. "He is Lord Abel, the King of Bel, ruler of demons."

Mitsuru was puzzled. This little fairy and all of the other demons called him 'king.' She wondered what could have possibly happened to Minato since his death. "Do you know anything about his past?" asked Mitsuru.

"Not much. I've never asked him about that, personally," replied Titania.

Mitsuru said nothing in response, since she was certain she would not get any information from Titania. She checked the knob on one of the doors and found that it would turn. "The door's not locked. There might be a TV set in this house," remarked Mitsuru.

As she pulled the door open, it suddenly burst from its hinges, sending her into the street with it. "Mitsuru!" cried Titania.

From the doorless entry way emerged a muscular, black-skinned man who resembled the professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. Instead of the Hulkster's face, there was a Shadow's mask instead. As Mitsuru got up to defend herself, this Shadow, a Gigas, pointed at Mitsuru, as though indicating that he was coming after her. "Looks like we're going to have to fight our way home," remarked Mitsuru.

Titania enlarged to her true size and took Mitsuru's side. "I'm with you Mitsuru!"

Mitsuru put the evoker to her temple and pulled the trigger. Her Persona, Artemisia, appeared and took up a battle stance. Artemisia was a female Persona who wore a dark blue dress with pointed golden adornments around her waist and shoulders. A red masquerade mask with a pointed nose covered her eyes and forehead. She was armed with a whip and cracked it against the ground to intimidate the Gigas. He didn't flinch and kept his gaze on her constantly.

The Gigas charged directly at Mitsuru, attempting to clothesline her with his arm. She ducked and slipped behind as the Gigas overshot his mark. She unloaded ice into his back, with Titania joining the assault by hurling a blast of wind. The Gigas howled in pain as he fell onto one knee. He quickly rose to his feet and grabbed a nearby newspaper dispenser. The metal twisted audibly and snapped as the screws burst out of the concrete pavement. He immediately hurled it at Mitsuru, who dove away just in the nick of time.

The dispenser crashed into the ground with a loud thud. The Gigas found a nearby car and tore off a tire. Titania hurled ice at him, hoping to stop him from throwing it. Instead, the Gigas blocked with the tire and threw it at her, knocking her to the lawn of a nearby home. Mitsuru projected ice which formed a frosty coating on the Gigas' skin. The Gigas covered himself and backed away, behind the car, where he tore out its driver side door. Mitsuru turned to run, but the door grazed past her back as the thrown door flew past.

A sharp pain ripped across her back and caused her to misstep on a pebble. She lost her balance and landed face first on the ground. The Gigas approached her prone body. Mitsuru sent Artemisia over, and the Persona lashed the whip at the Gigas. He caught the whip in his hand and pulled Artemisia in, right into his clothesline. Artemisia vanished instantly and Mitsuru's heart sank. She reached for her evoker, but it and the entire holster were gone! Mitsuru tried to get up and run away, but the Gigas caught her foot and pulled back, slamming her knee against the pavement.

Mitsuru clutched her knee in agony, rolling onto her back as she gripped the wounded joint. The Gigas quickly secured both of her legs under his arms and spun her around into a Boston crab hold. "AAAAH!" she cried out in agony. The pressure on her back was enormous, made even more painful by the wound on her back from the car door. In this position, her back threatened to snap, but the torturous pain from the hold would likely cause her to black out long before then.

Mitsuru was growing desperate. There was no way she could break such a hold, especially since she was a mere woman up against a musclebound freak. She prayed for something, anything, that could save her. She even wished she was back in her cell, rather than trapped in this submission hold. Her wishes awakened something deep inside her. Artemisia suddenly appeared, hovering in the air above her, yet the Gigas was too enthralled in maintaining the hold to notice. Artemisia spewed icy wind into his back, freezing him solid.

Mitsuru's legs slipped out of his grasp. Though she was relieved to be out of the hold, though her back was still sore from the pressure. Titania slipped out from under the tire and went to see her. "Hold on, I can heal you."

Titania's hand glowed white as Dia magic surrounded it. As her hand hovered over Mitsuru's back, she felt soothing relief and the wound from the car door started to heal. "Thanks," replied Mitsuru. "I didn't know how long I could last."

"We'd better get out of here before he thaws," urged Titania. The two ladies fled through the house's now doorless entrance into the living room. "Hurry!"

When Mitsuru stuck her hand into the TV, it sank in, rippling the screen as though she had put her hand through water. She heard the crackling of ice and quickly dove in. She into deep darkness, falling through to a single point of light in the distance. When she regained her orientation, she found herself on the floor of an alley somewhere in town. After some cursory exploration, she discovered that she was in Inaba. This was where Akihiko Sanada had moved to begin his new job as a police officer.

Titania quickly shrunk herself to a small size. "What now? she asked.

"I need to call Akihiko," said Mitsuru. "I have to stay at his place while I figure out what's going on."

"There's pay phone at that coffee shop across the street," said Titania, pointing out the way.

Mitsuru approached the phone, put a coin into it, and dialled. "Hello?" asked Sanada from the other end.

"Akihiko, it's me, Mitsuru," Mitsuru said, introducing herself.

"Mitsuru? Are you okay? I heard you went missing," said Sanada. "What happened?"

"Long story," replied Mitsuru. "Can I stay over at your place for awhile? I need some place to hide out for awhile."

"Sure," replied Akihiko.

"Thanks, I can always count on you. I'm at the Brown Bean coffee shop. Can you drop by and pick me up?"

"Sure, I've taken a few of my coffee breaks there with Dojima," replied Sanada. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't leave the area."

Sanada's police cruiser emerged just down the street, twenty minutes later. Mitsuru quickly opened the door and hopped in. "Are you okay?" asked Sanada as he drove away.

"You don't know what I've been through," she began. She told Sanada about everything she had endured from when she left for Yakushima. Somebody had impersonated her limo driver and slipped a mickey into her wine. After she nodded off, asleep and vulnerable, the driver brought her to a cell in the Shadow world. It was in a camp guarded by several soldiers and demons. She was questioned for days until Titania released her.

"Well, that explains why you're wearing army clothing, but Shadows?" asked Akihiko.

"Yeah, one of them put me in a submission hold. I only managed to escape because I was able to summon my Persona without my evoker," replied Mitsuru. "I don't know if it was because of my feelings or something about that world, but I could summon Artemisia without my evoker."

"You don't say... And you saw Minato there?" asked Akihiko. He turned his car around the corner of at a street light. "How can that be? I heard what the doctor said! He told us he was dead!"

"I heard the same thing, but there he was, alive and working with the people who kidnapped me," announced Mitsuru. "I don't know what happened, but he didn't recognize me. He goes by Abel now and he was the one who sent Titania to break me out."

"That's me!" said Titania, landing on the armrest of the car and curtsying.

"Why, thank you little fairy," said Akihiko.

"I'm Titania, nice to meet you, handsome!" said Titania.

"What did those guys want with you?" asked Akihiko.

"They were asking me about the Kirijo Group and a 'Project C.' They wanted to know why the Kirijo Group was bringing demons into this world," said Mitsuru.

"Demons? Do you mean that thing that had attacked me and Dojima?" asked Akihiko. "I thought the Shadows were bad enough. I thought we were done with Tartarus and the Abyss of Time. Now we have to deal with demons?"

"Uhuh," said Titania. "My master is here only to stop the demons. His allies believe that because the Kirijo Group is involved and that you are responsible."

"I'm not involved at all. I have no idea what's going on," said Mitsuru.

"Yep, but try telling that to them," scolded Titania. "If you're really innocent, you'll have to prove it to them. My master can help you, but he's taking a very big risk by letting you go like this. Where he and his allies are from, demons had been a major problem."

Mitsuru sighed. "Father was right. I am cursed. It seems I will never be free of the Kirijo's legacy!"

"Cheer up, you're not alone in this," said Akihiko, as he stopped the car in front of his apartment building. "We've known each for a very long time. You can count on me."

"Thanks Akihiko," said Mitsuru. "This must be Matsumoto's doing. I'll get to the bottom of all this."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	13. Temp 4: Miroku Scripture

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 4: Miroku Scripture **

Saturday, September 22, 2012

A month had passed since her harrowing escape from the Survivor's base camp. During this time, Mitsuru Kirijo worked diligently to find out more on the activities of the electronics division and its head, Hiroshi Matsumoto. Days went by with her buried in a pile of papers at her desk, reading reports from auditors she had deployed to investigate her company. The information contained in these reports were quite dry, but the auditors had found things that concerned them and her.

Before becoming the president of the electronics division, Matsumoto was a member of the Kirijo Group's Ergo Division. This division was also the same one which had done research on the Shadows, resulting in all of the trouble SEES had to deal with in the past. Since Matsumoto wasn't there at the time, he never got caught in the lab explosion at Port Island. Afterwards, there was a crackdown on the Ergo Division and Matsumoto had transferred to the electronics division, where he remained to this day. Apparently, he was much like Shuji Ikutsuki, following in his footsteps to bring about the Fall.

Mitsuru, as the new head of the Kirijo Group, had forbidden any more research for fear of creating a new problem, one that was even worse than the Arcana Shadows and Nyx. Apparently, from what she had heard while held hostage, Matsumoto had done just that. Through his Shadow research, he had learned about demons and found a way to summon them. Dealing with the Shadows was bad enough, but having to deal with the horrors that were demons was much worse.

From the reports she had reviewed, some oddities in the bookkeeping started to appear just after Matsumoto began his tenure in the electronics division. One of the reports stated that the electronics division had earned 520 billion yen in income for the fourth quarter of 2010, but an audit of that quarter revealed they had earned closer to 550 billion yen. The 30 billion yen difference was unusual and had not been accounted for. More of such discrepancies started to appear as the auditors dug deeper, and they listed them on the report.

Mitsuru called up Sanada and reported all of this to him over the phone. "So this Matsumoto was the one behind it all?" he asked.

"That's what it looks like," replied Mitsuru. "I've just finished looking through my auditors' files. It looks like he had been skimming company profits."

"So he's a thief... Where is he right now? Surely he must be taking a lot of heat for this?" asked Sanada.

"That's the problem. We don't know where he is. He disappeared soon after the auditors started the investigation. An admission of guilt, non?" asked Mitsuru.

"No argument from me!" agreed Sanada. "Are you going to go public with this soon?"

"Yeah, it'll be all over the news in the next couple of days," replied Mitsuru. "What I'm more interested in is what he was doing with all that money. My auditors investigated one of our labs and found some archaeological documents that weren't listed as company assets. I've asked Fuuka to come look at them. Would you like to look at them with us?"

"Sure," replied Sanada.

"Okay, we'll meet at your place in Inaba tomorrow at noon. See you then," said Mitsuru and hung up her phone.

* * *

><p>Sunday, September 23, 2012<p>

"Financial regulators have frozen several accounts belonging to Matsumoto pending further investigation into this affair," reported a female news anchor. "Up next..."

Atsuro closed the window on his laptop, shutting off the video feed for this news cast. "Things are getting very interesting now," remarked Naoto.

"So, this Matsumoto guy was the one behind everything?" asked Yuzu.

"Yes, his name had come up on the emails your group had seized during the raid," observed Naoto.

"This guy is stealing from the company he works at. You know, that's probably how he gets enough money to do all this research in the first place," remarked Kanji.

"Fushimi's plan was far more successful than he could have ever imagined," remarked Saemon.

"Plan, what plan?" asked Yosuke.

"Fushimi arranged for Mitsuru to escape from our prison," stated Saemon boldly. "He was starting to suspect that Mitsuru really didn't know anything after all. To confirm this, he concocted this plan when Atsuro mentioned my resemblance to a late friend of hers."

"You arranged for her escape?" asked Yuzu.

"Wait a minute, then that training exercise was..." said Keisuke.

"...Me helping Fushimi to carry out his plan. It was a way to lower our base's defences without arousing her suspicion. I gave her Titania to protect her and watch over what she does."

"Atsuro, Fushimi, you... Who else was in on this?" asked Chie.

"Izuna was too," replied Saemon.

"Wow, good work," remarked Ai.

"Thanks," replied Saemon. "Titania has told me that they're starting to look over some old archaeological documents that went unlisted in the Kirijo Groups assets. I wonder what they'll find in them."

* * *

><p>Somewhere to the north of Junes was a simple apartment building in the midtown of Inaba. A black limo pulled up to the front of the building and deposited a pair of women on the sidewalk before driving away. One was Mitsuru Kirijo, carrying a duffel bag filled with documents and hard drives. The second was a meek woman with light turquoise hair. This woman was Fuuka Yamagishi, who had been the information and support specialist for SEES during their excursions into Tartarus.<p>

Mitsuru called for Sanada with the intercom system at the front. Akihiko buzzed the door open, which allowed the two girls to enter and travel to his room. "Hey, long time no see!" said Sanada, hugging Fuuka upon seeing her.

"Yeah, it's been quite awhile," replied Fuuka.

"Still working for Kirijo Electronics?" asked Sanada.

"Yep, this scandal's been giving us nothing but grief."

"Let's look at these files together," said Mitsuru. "We might find out what his goals are."

The trio opened Mitsuru's dossier and read the files seized from Matsumoto's labs. As suspected, he had resumed research into the Shadows, even discovering their home world, just after transferring over to the electronics division. Through his research into the Shadows, he and his scientists had discovered the existence of other worlds. They also had discovered the existence of demons, supernatural creatures of myth and legends. Seeing even more potential in the demons than the Shadows, his team redirected research towards them, in an effort to summon and control them.

In March, their efforts bore fruit. They had successfully summoned their first demon, an Abaddon, into their lab. The creature, which had not been properly contracted, went on a rampage and wrecked the lab before being banished to the Shadow world. From that point on, they refined their technology, culminating with the summoning and binding of a demon named Pabelsag. According to the notes, Pabelsag was still under contract to Matsumoto and is working under him to this day.

Sometime before his team started development of a method to control demons, the Shadows had revealed the existence of a certain ancient text. From its picture, it was an old Buddhist text written in Sanskrit. He acquired the text and had it translated. One of its copies had been stored on a hard drive in a lab investigated by the auditors. According to the translation, this text was known as the Miroku Scripture. It was written by someone who had communicated with a future Buddha named Maitreya, known as Miroku to the Japanese. This text contained the wisdom Miroku had passed on to the author.

The translator's notes indicated that this scripture described the nature of the birth and destruction of a world. Every world in the universe was subject to this cycle of destruction and rebirth, repeating it countless times over the passage of an unfathomable amount of time. Once a world underwent destruction, a survivor of this apocalypse would rise up and provide the next world with its Reason for existing. Based on this Reason, this philosophy, the new world will shape itself accordingly, all as the Reason bearer wished.

Titania looked over the translation of the Miroku Scripture. "Oh no, this is bad! My master needs to see this. If Matsumoto has the Miroku Scripture, he has to know about it."

"You sound like you know this text," remarked Fuuka.

"It's a legend among demon kind!" replied Titania. "It contains a prophecy about the end of the world. By making the prophecy come true, someone can end the world."

"What?" asked Sanada. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"That's why my master needs to see this as soon as possible," said Titania.

"So this is it... Like Nyx and Tartarus, all over again," remarked Mitsuru.

"Yes, call your master," said Fuuka. "I'd like to meet him myself."

Titania flew into an open area and closed her eyes. A nimbus of blue flickered and then flashed brightly. In the wake of the light stood Titania's master, Abel, the King of Bel. When Sanada and Fuuka saw his face, they did a double-take. "Mi... Minato?" asked Sanada.

"Is it really you?" asked Fuuka. She examined him closely and her surprise faded. "No, you're not him. You might look like him, but you're not him. I can feel it."

"Why did you help me back at the cell?" asked Mitsuru.

"I wanted to see where your loyalties lie," replied Saemon.

"Yes, my master had me watch your actions, so he could see if you were working for Matsumoto," said Titania.

"I'm certain you're not involved with him," said Saemon.

Mitsuru continued to question Saemon, asking him about who he was and why he was here. Saemon answered everything honestly, beginning by introducing himself and telling her about how his group had pursued an Abaddon, leading up to a search for whoever summoned it to this world in the first place. "So your people were following that Abaddon?" asked Mitsuru.

"Yes," replied Saemon. "Matsumoto eventually began to extract demons from my being. Both my group and a team of Persona users from this town started to hunt them. We eventually met each other, and thinking I was a threat, one of them attacked me, but I repelled his attack. When cooler heads prevailed, we realized that we were on the same side."

"Akihiko, did you know about this?" asked Mitsuru.

"No, I'm not one of those Persona users," he replied.

"Then, there are Persona users other than us?" asked Fuuka.

Hearing Fuuka say that piqued Saemon's interest. "As a matter of fact, yes," replied Saemon. He turned to Akihiko. "Ah, so you must be Akihiko Sanada. Dojima's partner, right? In that case, you've already met some of them already. Dojima himself is one of them, as is Nanako."

"Little Nana? And my partner?" asked Sanada incredulously. "Right under my nose this whole time..."

"Dojima only got his Persona recently. Nanako has had hers for a few months now, but most of the others got theirs last year," informed Saemon. "We can do introductions later. I want to have a look at this Miroku Scripture."

Saemon looked at Fuuka's laptop, which had the translated version of the Miroku Scripture on screen. He read the text thoroughly and as he delved deeper and deeper into the text, he grew more and more concerned, even terrified of what he was reading. The others could see the reactions and the double-takes clearly on his face. They were very unnerved by watching him. As Saemon turned the pages of the book, he focused one of the prophecies more relevant to recent times.

"The people shall become as blood through the womb of the world and a throng of demons follow their passing," read Saemon. He looked up to address the others. "Yes, if he has this book, Matsumoto clearly intends to end the world."

"Titania told us that already," said Fuuka.

"She's correct," said Saemon. "Matsumoto intends to develop a Reason and recreate the world with his Reason as its basis."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Mitsuru.

"A Reason is an ideology or guiding philosophy which determines the nature of a world. Literally, 'why does the world exist?' He will create the new world, and it will be based on his Reason."

"How much time do we have left?" asked Fuuka.

"I'm not sure, but I doubt it's a lot. I could learn more if I had time to study the Miroku Scripture more thoroughly. Also, I assume you'd like to be introduced to my friends. Since tomorrow is a holiday, why don't you come to Junes for lunch. You know where that is?"

"Yeah, I do," replied Akihiko.

"Okay, we'll meet you there," said Mitsuru.

* * *

><p>Monday, September 24, 2012<p>

During the previous night, Saemon had read over every line of text in the Miroku Scripture, absorbing all of the information contained within its pages. Mitsuru and Fuuka went to Junes as promised. When they arrived, Dojima and Sanada were already there. They had come earlier and mingled with the rest of the Investigation Team. The two women met with the Investigation Team and exchanged introductions. "Wow! Hubba hubba! She's hotter in person than her picture!" remarked Teddie.

"Where's Saemon?" asked Fuuka. "He was supposed to meet us here."

"Yeah, he's running a bit late. He'll be along shortly," replied Yuzu. "Hey, there he is now!"

Saemon walked into the food court and greeted the others before taking a seat at the head of the table. He began with a lecture on the nature of the universe. The Persona users' world and the Survivors' were but two of many worlds of the vast cosmos known as the Amala Universe. Each world went through a lengthy cycle of destruction and rebirth, as preordained by the "Great Will" of the universe, or God. This process was known as the "Conception" and the Miroku Scripture described the events that both preceded and followed this apocalypse, forming a prophetic time line of events.

Normally, such a cycle played out over millions, if not billions, of years, but it was possible under certain circumstances to initiate this process prematurely. Regardless of how the Conception was started, there would be a being who would rise up and provide a guiding philosophy, a Reason, which determined the nature and direction of the coming world. Matsumoto intended to fulfil the prophecies, thereby ending the world and creating a new one based on his Reason.

"Into this world comes one who became eight, the eight who became one," narrated Saemon on the prophecy most relevant to now. "This section refers to the Bel demons who Matsumoto separated from me."

"Okay, we know about that," said Yuzu.

"The next two lines are 'In this land where light and darkness battle, even death can die, and a great culling sweeps the land, uniting the two kingdoms,'" read Saemon.

In order to bring about the Conception, Matsumoto needed great amounts of power in the form of Magatsuhi. One way of getting it was to kill large numbers of people or supernatural beings, thereby harvesting the energy released by their deaths. This was effectively a sacrifice and the "great culling" which would sweep the land. One of the things he had to do with this power was to break the barriers between the real and Shadow worlds, which would facilitate the summoning of Kagutsuchi.

"This is a theory, but I believe that the Shadow world is the world of the human mind," said Saemon. "If that's the case, then it is only fitting that they need to be merged. The 'Vortex World' created by the Conception can be thought of as an arena where Reason bearers fight each other to the death over their ideologies, thought and the physical becoming one. In order to unite the worlds, he must cast a spell at a location where the boundaries between the two are weak. Needless to say, this is very dangerous."

"So, not only do we have to prevent the massacres, we also have to guard places like Inaba and Iwatodai?" asked Mitsuru.

"Yep, Matsumoto will certainly try to sneak in the merger while we're preoccupied, so we have to be vigilant," warned Saemon. "Okay, next part... 'The sound of drums thunder throughout the land as it is remade anew."

Saemon explained these next lines as events that would happen during the Conception. Kagutsuchi, the Light of Creation, would enter the world, summoned by Matsumoto. The job of the sun-like Kagutsuchi was to choose whose Reason would define the next world. Upon his entry into the world, lightning would rain upon the land endlessly. Earthquakes would wrack the world as the land shifted to englobe him and form the Vortex World. Thus, Kagutsuchi became the "sun" of the Vortex World.

"Only a handful of people will survive," stated Saemon, pausing to illustrate the gravity of the situation. "Those people are either very lucky or have protection of some kind, like a Persona or comp. Otherwise, you're done for. What happens afterwards is that 'the people shall become as blood through the womb of the world.' Those who die from the Conception will be turned into Magatsuhi, which is a red substance created from the experiences and souls of human beings. Demons feed on it and grow more powerful by consuming it. The 'womb of the world' is the Vortex World, waiting for its rebirth."

"Then, won't more demons come to the Vortex World to look for Magatsuhi?" asked Fuuka.

"Yes, that's exactly what next line, 'and a throng of demons follow their passing,' means," replied Saemon.

"So you're saying that if the Conception happens, we'd all survive it?" asked Yuzu.

Saemon nodded. He then proceeded to describe the Vortex World, painting a nightmarish picture of a post-apocalyptic world. In the Vortex World, desolate wastelands extended beyond what the eye could see. Scattered cities dotted the land, rising in the ruins of major cities while providing the only civilization after all social order had broken down. Demons roamed freely, and while many would live peacefully, many more would roam the wastes as marauding gangs in search of Magatsuhi. Some surviving humans would do the same to steal the items needed to survive.

"We won't let it get that far," said Yosuke. "We'll stop Matsumoto well before that happens."

"Saemon, around when do you think Matsumoto will summon Kagutsuchi?" asked Naoki.

"December 21, 2012," he replied. "It's listed in his files."

"That's a pretty exact date," remarked Yukiko, when she suddenly remembered something very important about it. "Wait, you don't mean..."

"That's the date the Mayan Calendar ends. People believe that the world will end on this date. Matsumoto is going to exploit the power of this belief and make it happen for real," remarked Saemon.

"Even so, we can still stop him well before that time. That's a few months away, so there's plenty of time," remarked Chie.

"Since Matsumoto is a wanted criminal, he can't show his face in public. The police are looking for him and that will restrict his movements," remarked Mitsuru.

"There's still Beelzebub out there too," stated Naoto.

"Yeah, with him involved, his master, Lucifer, won't be far behind. His presence concerns me, because Lucifer had once tried to derail the cycle of rebirth with the Demifiend," remarked Saemon.

"The Demifiend?" asked Mitsuru.

"He's a legend among demon-kind," replied Saemon. "He is considered one of the single most powerful beings in the Amala Universe. He did what nobody else had ever done. He had ended the cycle of destruction and rebirth."

The Demifiend was once a normal teenager named Naoki Kashima. When the Conception occurred in his world, Lucifer had transformed him into a being who had the body of a demon, but the heart of a human. In his journeys across the Vortex World, he embraced his demonic nature and killed all of the Reason bearers of his world. He also destroyed Kagutsuchi, cascading his destruction throughout all times and places, ending the cycle of destruction and rebirth completely. His actions effectively began Armageddon and he went on to join Lucifer's legions as they marched forward to battle the Great Will.

Everyone found this to be highly disconcerting. "If we're here, does that mean God won?" asked Fuuka.

"No idea," replied Saemon. "Nobody knows what happened afterwards. Maybe the Great Will and Lucifer destroyed each other. Maybe we're living in a universe that restarted itself after the end. Maybe the Great Will won and simply recreated everything. I don't know."

"How can Kagutsuchi be summoned if he's dead?" asked Chie.

"Again, nobody knows," replied Saemon. "Maybe he got recreated when the universe restarted."

"So, we'll have to stop Beelzebub as well," said Mitsuru.

"Yes," replied Saemon. "Okay, the last part... 'A shard of creation's light illuminates the path and the blood of the womb opens the way.' In order to reach Kagutsuchi, we must summon the tower that leads to him. We must acquire an object that was once a part of his body and use it in a certain place. The tower is locked so we need a key made from Magatsuhi to open the door. A demon which sponsors a Reason can create this key, so I can do that if need be."

"How can we get a piece of Kagutsuchi if there is no tower to let us get to him?" asked Naoki.

"He'll leave an item on the Vortex World just for this purpose," replied Saemon. "The last part is, 'the secret master stands before the lotus of souls and announces a Reason. This shall be the law of the creation of the world.' It simply means the Reason bearer will meet Kagutsuchi and pass his test. He'll then create the new world based on that Reason."

"Our deadline is December 21," remarked Mitsuru. "Between now and then, we must stop Matsumoto."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	14. Temp 5:  The Battle for Everyone's Souls

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 5: The Battle for Everyone's Souls **

Monday, September 24, 2012

Saemon, Atsuro, and Mitsuru gathered around the cylindrical device captured from Matsumoto. Saemon paced around the device, looking it over. "Now that I've read the Miroku Scripture, I know what this is," announced Saemon. "It's an Amala Drum. It connects the physical realm to the Amala Network, which contains the vast majority of the world's Magatsuhi."

"You know, I think I can modify it to create a shield against Kagutsuchi," said Atsuro.

"You can do that?" asked Mitsuru.

"Yes," replied Atsuro. "They also tether each area so they don't drift apart. If we have enough, we can keep a city intact during the Conception."

"Even with the Kirijo's Group's resources, there's no way we can make enough to protect the entire planet," admitted Mitsuru.

"No, we'll have to prioritize. Inaba and our camp need to be protected, of course," said Atsuro.

As Saemon, Mitsuru, and Atsuro discussed how to manufacture and distribute the Amala Drums, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko were walking down the streets of Inaba. Their destination was Junes Department Store, the headquarters of the Investigation Team. As they pass through the old Central Shopping District, they noticed a small crowd of people gathered around a group of preaching "prophets." These prophets handed out fliers to anyone who was interested. These strange prophets were men and woman dressed in black tunics and robes which had red edges and flourishes.

"God will not save you. He has forsaken you. He has decided to end our world and nothing will dissuade Him. Only Lucifer can save you. Join us and follow the Morning Star into a world of freedom, a world free of God's tyranny!" announced a prophet.

"Who are these guys?" asked Chie.

"Religious nuts," remarked Yosuke.

One of the prophets handed Yukiko a magazine, which she started to read. "What is that?" asked Yosuke. "Is that an occult magazine?"

Indeed, the magazine was a book which described the occult and New Age topics. The prophets in red and black were known as the Cult of Gaia, a new religious movement which had gained followers with the ending of the Mayan Calendar. Most of the other stuff in the book was uninteresting, ranging from horoscopes to urban legends and other bizarre phenomenon. There was a section on the Midnight Channel, something Yukiko was already quite familiar with. However, there was an article which talked about the end of the world coming at the end of 2012.

The article referred to many sources which talked about the end times. Among them were the Buddhist Miroku Scripture and the Mayan Calendar. "We'd better tell Saemon about this," remarked Yukiko.

When they returned, Saemon flipped through the magazine and glanced at the article. "Where did you get this magazine from?" asked Saemon as glanced over the paragraphs.

"Some guys in robes were handing this stuff out in the old Central Shopping District," replied Chie.

"What did they look like?" asked Saemon.

Chie described the men and women and their unusual garb. As Chie described the prophets, Saemon seemed to know them and was quite concerned. He looked at the earlier pages of the magazine, confirming what he was thinking. "So the Cult of Gaia has formed here too..." he remarked, looking over the magazine's masthead.

"Cult of Gaia?" asked Yukiko.

Saemon looked up from the magazine. "Yes, it's an occult and quasi-religious movement which worships demons, in particular, Lucifer. The Cult of Gaia also represents a Chaos-oriented set of ethics."

"What do you mean by 'a Chaos-oriented set of ethics?'" asked Chie.

"It simply means that you believe in freedom above all else, freedom to think and do whatever you want," replied Saemon.

"Did Beelzebub form this cult?" asked Yukiko.

"Very likely," replied Saemon. "We'll have to be careful of these people. We should avoid going near them."

* * *

><p>In the deepest reaches of the collective unconsciousness, a fierce battle raged on. A massive creature, like two black dogs grafted to each other by their end of their torsos, felt around blindly as though searching for something. Their faces exuded a foul black miasma and were lit by the crimson malevolence of their eyes. They had bony mouths and long horns like those of a ram or goat. The creature was so huge that a human being was but an ant to it. The creature lunged upwards, parting the clouds, as though trying to reach for something.<p>

It collided with a door of solid gold. The door had many eye emblems engraved on it. They moved erratically with a mind of their own. Countless strands of barbed wire crisscrossed its surface, binding the stone statue of an Asian teenager in place. The teenager stood with arms outstretched, as though blocking the doorway. The dog tried to push through the door, getting no progress. Instead of giving up in frustration, it started to strike the door. When that proved fruitless, the creature reached around and felt for an opening.

In the distance, several figures watched this creature's futile attempts to breach the doorway. One of them was a distinguished corporate executive. "So that is Erebus," remarked the executive, Hiroshi Matsumoto. "So that must be the Great Seal and behind it is Nyx..."

"Yes," confirmed the largest figure, the demon Pabelsag. "We can gather vast amounts of Magatsuhi from them. I recall that you had a hand in bringing about this situation."

"The Fall," replied Matsumoto. "Kirijo and her companions might have thwarted that prophecy, but at least our research will not go to waste."

"I see," remarked Pabelsag. "Ishtar, prepare for battle!"

"Yes, my lord," replied the goddess of love.

Erebus turned towards Matsumoto's group in the distance. The malice and hostility was evident in its face and directed at them. It lunged at the group, which scattered to evade its hand. Pabelsag extended his tail forward, impaling the stinger deep into the misty black flesh of the forearm. Erebus screamed in agony and swatted Pabelsag to the ground with his free hand. It then arced lightning upon the downed Pabelsag. Ishtar suddenly appeared in front of him and took it full force, suffering no harm.

Matsumoto's men fired at Erebus. The bullets sank into the flesh, causing only flesh wounds to it. Erebus turned its attention to them. Ishtar quickly turned to Pabelsag and applied the light of a Dia spell to him. "Thank you, Ishtar," said Pabelsag as he got up.

Erebus lunged at them, forcing them to scatter. It immediately called down fiery meteors, which Ishtar recognized as a Ragnarok spell. She weaved around each and every flaming rock, avoiding them with swift, expert skill. A lull appeared in the storm, which she exploited to call down a massive bolt of lightning. The Thunder Reign seemed to pierce through Erebus, slicing through it like a knife going into flesh. The dark dog roared in agony, yet despite the pain, it managed to create a sphere of dark violet energy above.

The Megido sphere burst with tremendous force, throwing all of Matsumoto's demons to the ground. As they arose from this massive attack, Erebus formed a new orb, as dark as the Megido orb, but with a red centre. "He's charging up for a big attack! Stop him!" cried Matsumoto.

"Oh no you don't!" said Pabelsag, hurling himself at Erebus. He unleashed a flurry of punches which staggered Erebus. With its concentration broken, the orb vanished.

"Now's your chance! Take him down!" cried Matsumoto.

Pabelsag drilled his stinger deep into Erebus and pumped a massive gout of venom into the creature. The creature roared in agony as the poison rotted it from the inside out. Erebus crumbled until nothing was left but a sphere of churning black miasma. Matsumoto's men rushed onto the scene and activated an Amala Drum. The sphere turned into a blood-red substance which was quickly vacuumed up by the spinning drum.

"Good work," remarked Matsumoto. "Now, it's time for Nyx."

Pabelsag projected a wave of golden light towards the door. Despite putting his best efforts into this "Rakarn Break" spell, the Great Barrier held strong. "This one will be tougher. This barrier has a human soul maintaining it," informed Pabelsag. "I can remove this soul, but it will take time."

At that moment, the sound of buzzing approached the area. Matsumoto, Pabelsag, and their allies looked around and noticed a swarm of flies approaching the area, as though descending on carrion in a feeding frenzy. The flies coalesced into one massive fly-like creature, the Lord of the Flies himself, Beelzebub. Following him was a retinue of demons and humans. Most of the demons were of Fallen lineage, but the humans wore robes and tunics of black and red, the uniform of Gaian cultists.

Matsumoto aimed his gun at Beelzebub. "Put away your weapons. I'm not here to fight you," announced Beelzebub.

"Why are you here?" asked Matsumoto.

"I wish to offer my help," replied Beelzebub.

"Help? Me? Why would you want to do that?" asked Matsumoto.

"My master would benefit greatly if you were to succeed in your endeavour. I can easily remove the soul which maintains the Great Seal and I'll even help you harvest Nyx. In exchange, I wish to add this soul to my collection," replied Beelzebub.

After a brief moment to mull over Beelzebub's offer, Matsumoto decided to gave his response. "Very well," he told Beelzebub.

"You will not regret it," assured Beelzebub.

The Lord of the Flies pointed his sceptre, the Corpse Staff, at the golden wall. Wisps of white, eldritch energy started to swirl around the head of the staff, drawn from the golden Great Seal which kept Nyx locked away. The statue dissolved as the soul of its creator peeled off and swirled around the knob of the Corpse Staff. Without the soul to maintain it, the wall vanished into nothingness. Behind it was the moon, the physical body of Nyx, the incarnation of death itself.

"Stop!" cried an unknown, but noble voice. A golden light descended upon the assembled demons and humans. "Foul Beelzebub, follower of the fallen angel, I have turned a blind eye to your master's abominable plans for too long. Subverting the way of creation is a terrible sin, one that the Lord can not overlook. You mortal, who wishes to take part in creation, you too must face judgement, for to consort with the Lord of the Flies is a grave sin."

A blond angel with a body of silvery metal appeared before Beelzebub and the others. From its appearance, the angel appeared more machine than man. It had several golden, cross-like holy symbols on its joints and forehead. It had a similar symbol prominently displayed on the dangling front flap of his exomis. "Metatron," cursed Beelzebub. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Face my judgement, demon!" stated Metatron, the Voice of God, before advancing.

Metatron's angels charged into battle and were met by Beelzebub's demons and Matsumoto's forces. The whole area descended into chaos. Explosions resounded all around as angel, demon, and human fought each other to the death. Away from the main conflict, Metatron and Beelzebub stared each other down. Both were number two after the leaders of their respective factions, the forces of Order and Chaos. As such, the two were mortal enemies who had fought each other throughout time and space.

Metatron broke the stalemate with a wave of his hand. A wave of force zoomed forward, hitting Beelzebub cleanly and accurately. The Lord of the Flies didn't flinch and seemed invigorated by this attack, absorbing its power into his being. "You should know that those attacks won't work on me," said Beelzebub.

Beelzebub gathered fire at the head of the Corpse Staff, swirling it around like a flaming sphere. He let it loose, but with single stroke, Metatron chopped through the fireball and dissipated it. "Is that the limit of your power, demon?" asked Metatron.

"That's good enough for a warm up. Let's skip straight to the main course," said Beelzebub.

He immediately extended a hand, firing a beam of pink energy at Metatron. With a single backhand, Metatron deflected the Primal Force. He then raised his hands, conjuring a powerful tornado. It captured Beelzebub and carried him all the way to Nyx, slamming him with enough force to punch a massive crater into the surface. Metatron flew closer and observed the crater and Beelzebub inside it. His eyes turned red as he gathered great amounts of power for the death blow.

"Mu hu ha ha ha!" laughed Metatron.

Beams of red electricity streamed forth from his eyes. Upon contact with the ground, pillars of almighty energy burst through the surface like jets of magma. The Fire of Sinai shattered the surface of Nyx, rupturing the very ground itself. When the dust cleared, a vast chasm now ran across the moon's surface. Not seeing Beelzebub anywhere in the rubble, he flew in closer to take a look, yet still could not find anything that would suggest the fate of the Lord of the Flies.

Just then, Metatron sensed an attack coming from behind! A wave of dark energy, Hades Blast, struck his back, throwing him to the bottom of the chasm! Metatron crashed through several feet of rock, landing within the interior of Nyx. Her interior was a dark void with nothing but a single orangey, egg-like core. The core was nestled within grey, web-like veins. Metatron landed on top of Nyx's core, hitting it with a thud. Beelzebub appeared just behind in the hole created by Metatron's entry.

Beelzebub gathered great amounts of pink energy in his left claw. At the last moment, Metatron rolled away. The Primal Force hit Nyx's core instead, piercing through like a laser. A disembodied female voice howled in agony, resounding throughout humanity's collective unconscious. Metatron got up and hurled a ball of almighty energy squarely into Beelzebub's chest. It exploded with great force, throwing him back into the wall, narrowly missing the hole.

The Lord of the Flies saw a second Megido spell coming and quickly dove away. He plunged the Corpse Staff into the nearest wall, where a black vortex opened up. Countless Death Flies emerged and swarmed Metatron. Though tiny and weak, the flies outnumbered him by the hundreds, if not thousands, all of which chipped away at the robotic angel. Metatron swatted flies futilely before crossing his arms and unleashing a brilliant burst of light. Every fly that touched the Hama spell vanished in an instant. The light travelled to Beelzebub, who merely swatted it away with the Corpse Staff.

Beelzebub suddenly bolted forward, tackling Metatron in the waist. He climbed on top and attempted to plunge the point of his staff into Metatron's face. Metatron held it back with every ounce of strength he could muster. Metatron diverted the Corpse Staff, moving his head away, causing it to impale in the ground nearby. Beelzebub tried to pull it out, but the Corpse Staff had went too deep into the ground. Metatron quickly blasted his enemy with a point-blank gust of wind.

Beelzebub crashed into Nyx's core, flopping up and over it. He reached out and dug in his claws to stop his momentum, but he was hurtling back too fast. As he went past, he cut several gashes into the core. A few seconds later, he crashed into the opposite wall. Nyx let out another agonized scream. Metatron performed a second Fire of Sinai. The walls and ground ruptured and rubble became scattered everywhere. Jets of almighty energy erupted and hurled Beelzebub forward, when Metatron caught him in the waist.

Metatron carried him forward and slammed him into the wall. It crumbled, scattering rubble everywhere. Metatron tried to slam him again, but Beelzebub separated into several constituent flies and escaped Metatron's grasp. Just as he reformed, Metatron fired a stream of wind. It caught Beelzebub and smashed him through the wall. More rubble went scattered everywhere as he continued through to the surface of the moon. It wasn't until Beelzebub reached outer space that he was able to right himself. Beelzebub hurled a Megido orb.

Metatron, just emerging from the hole, did not see the attack coming. It struck full force, triggering a violent explosion which threw him back in. Beelzebub charged up and sent a second, much more powerful and devastating Megido into the hole. A brief moment passed and the moon exploded violently. Rocks went flying everywhere as a chilling death scream resounded throughout the collective unconscious. When the dust cleared, Beelzebub directed his flies to the heart of the rubble. They returned with Nyx's core, ripped and tattered from his battle with Metatron.

Seeing Nyx's destruction and the failure of their objective, the angels the fled the scene. The surviving members of Matsumoto's side milled about the area. Beelzebub found Matsumoto bent over, panting heavily. He had several bleeding cuts on his body and was greatly fatigued, but still alive. "I have fulfilled my part of the bargain. Nyx's power is yours," stated Beelzebub.

* * *

><p>At a children's sandbox in the Shadow world, Nanako and Jack Frost had just finished building a sand castle. The two of them admired their work when suddenly, both of them heard a dying scream resound through the air. They bolted upright and looked around at the sky to locate the source. A chill raced down their spines as the scream subsided. "What was that?" asked Jack Frost.<p>

"I don't know, but I'm really scared!" said Nanako.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe. I'm taking you back to your dad and Midor-hee ho," said Jack Frost.

Saemon had heard the scream too as he walked down the street with Atsuro and Yuzu. "I just felt a chill just then," remarked Yuzu.

"That was a death scream," said Saemon. "I don't like the sound of it."

Before he could do anything else, the ground started to shake. A massive boulder descended on a nearby house, flattening it underneath with a massive crashing sound. "EEK!" screamed Yuzu.

A massive cloud of dust arose from the impact as the earthquake stopped. The noise alerted more people to come and investigate. "What happened?" asked Keisuke as he approached the site.

"A meteor fell onto that house!" replied Yuzu.

"There might be survivors. Let's look for them," said Keisuke.

As they approached the fallen meteor, a portion of it crumbled off and melted into a pool of black ooze. Keisuke retreated when he noticed that the ooze was reshaping itself into numerous creatures. These unusual creatures resembled tall men with tar-black skin, each dressed in dark blue janitorial jump suits. They appeared to be Shadows, each of whom wore a hockey mask which resembled the skull-like face of death. Within the eye holes glowed sinister yellow eyes. With an axe to complete the ensemble, each Shadow resembled a psychotic axe murderer from horror movies.

"What are those things?" asked Yuzu.

"They look like Shadows, but I've never seen any like them before," replied Atsuro.

The Shadows turned their gaze to Yuzu and the others. "They don't look too friendly," remarked Yuzu, seeing them brandish their axes.

The Survivors summoned demons to face the Shadows. "Can you hear me?" asked Nanako.

"Yes, are you okay, Nanako?" asked Yuzu.

"Yeah, I'm scanning those Shadows you're about to fight. They're called 'Murderers.' They are Shadows of the Death Arcana."

"Death Arcana? Are you sure?" asked Atsuro.

"I'm positive," replied Nanako. "Murderers are resistant to physical attacks and immune to death attacks. They have a lot of stamina and recover very rapidly if not defeated quickly. They are vulnerable to Hama attacks, so I can banish them. Give me some time."

The Survivors and demons closed ranks, keeping the Shadows pinned down at the front of the meteor. One ran towards Azathoth, but he wrapped a tendril around that one and lifted him into the air. He quickly tossed the Murderer into another, knocking both into a tangled mass of limbs. Atsuro ducked an axe. Upon getting up, he uppercut its wielder in the chin. The Murderer stumbled back and tripped over a rock. At that moment, a great burst of light filled the area, consuming all Shadows in its wake. When the light subsided, nothing was left but the Survivors.

"What was that about?" asked Yuzu.

Nearby, Saemon touched his forehead, as though trying to envision something mentally. "I'm going to find out. I'll be back shortly," said Saemon, before vanishing in a puff of blue light.

* * *

><p>He appeared somewhere in outer space, standing on top of a massive rock. His was but one of many in a whole field of rocky debris. He looked around and could see the Shadow world's Earth in the distance. A soft buzz lingered in the air from the heavy usage of magic in the area. This suggested that a great battle had been fought in the area, but Saemon could not see the participants anywhere in the area. He teleported about in search of clues, but all he could find was more rubble and rocky debris.<p>

A few minutes into his search, he felt a tingle resulting from a great power near his location. He popped up near the source of the power, which he recognized as Metatron, the Voice of God. This angel was the same one who had spoken to him in emails and in his dreams before he became the King of Bel. Metatron was kneeling on the rock, apparently very fatigued. "Son of man, a great battle had been fought here and this is its aftermath," said Metatron.

"Battle?" asked Saemon.

"Indeed," replied Metatron. "This place was once the moon. Several humans of this world had come here to fulfil the Miroku prophecies. Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies, was also here to advance the fallen angel's plan. I attempted to intervene, but I have failed."

"It appears your battle with Beelzebub destroyed the moon," remarked Saemon.

"Unfortunately," replied Metatron. "This world is the realm of the collective unconscious. Here, the moon is the being known as Nyx, the personification of death for this world. A human soul once stood vigil over her, to prevent her power from wreaking havoc upon humanity. The Lord of the Flies claimed this noble soul just as I arrived. We battled, resulting in the destruction you see now."

"You said these humans wished to fulfil the prophecies... Can you elaborate?" asked Saemon.

"I do not know who they were, but among the demons serving them was the Bel demon Pabelsag," informed Metatron. "Son of man, I must return to the Lord. Where I have failed, you must succeed. Farewell." Having told the King of Bel of what had happened, Metatron vanished in a flash of golden light.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	15. Temp 6:  Bloody Culture Day Massacre

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 6: Bloody Culture Day Massacre **

Monday, September 24, 2012

"You're kidding me!" remarked Sanada.

"So Nyx is gone and that meteor was once a piece of her?" asked Mitsuru.

"Yep," replied Saemon. "I suspect you're familiar with her?"

Mitsuru elaborated further about her experiences when she was a member of SEES with Sanada. A few years ago, scientists from the Kirijo Group had experimented on Shadows. As a result, they had learned of the prophecy of the Fall, when Nyx would come to Earth and end all life. Seeing death as a deliverance, they worked to bring about the Fall. As a result, they had created the Arcana Shadow for Death. This Arcana Shadow was simply called "Death" or the "Appriser," and was the herald of the coming of Nyx.

One scientist, the father of Yukari Takeba, another member of SEES, tried to stop the experiments. His sabotage resulted in a lab explosion, causing Death to be split into thirteen Arcana Shadows and let loose. The Kirijo Group dispatched one of their anti-Shadow weapons, Aigis, in order to stop Death's primary portion. Unable to defeat him, she instead chose to seal it into a young boy. That boy grew into a teenager and found his way back to Gekkoukan High, the site of the original lab explosion, and joined SEES.

"He was Minato Arisato," informed Mitsuru.

"I see," remarked Saemon. "So that's why you seemed so surprised to see me."

"I saw him in the hospital. I attended his funeral. I thought he was gone, but there you were, like nothing had ever happened," said Mitsuru.

Once Minato returned to Gekkoukan High, the separated parts of Death, the other Arcana Shadows, became active. Deceived, SEES destroyed these Shadows, inadvertently reforming Death and reactivating the prophecy of the Fall. At the final battle, Minato did something unknown which halted the Fall. Later, at the seniors' graduation ceremony, he fell into a coma and died in Aigis' arms. SEES didn't really understand what he had done until they journeyed through time to learn the truth.

They learned that he had chosen to use his soul to maintain the Great Seal around Nyx. However, it wasn't meant to keep her in. It was to lock out Erebus, a creature which represented a great accumulation of negative emotions from humanity. This creature called out to Nyx on humanity's behalf for an end to their suffering. SEES defeated the creature, but due to its nature and composition, they questioned whether Erebus could ever be put down permanently. Now, due to the actions of Metatron, Beelzebub, and Pabelsag, both Nyx and Erebus had met their final destruction.

"In a way, Beelzebub had given us closure, but now, he has our friend's soul. We all want to free him, so we can finally put the past behind us," said Mitsuru.

"He must have meant a lot to you all," remarked Saemon.

"Yeah, when he created the Great Seal, he did it for everyone's sake," replied Fuuka. "We want to bring down Beelzebub and save our friend's soul."

"Even so, I think you should let me take care of Beelzebub," said Saemon.

"Why?" asked Sanada.

Saemon explained that Beelzebub had great magical power, particularly over death and almighty magic. He was called the "Lord of the Flies" for controlling and being made out of a swarm of insects called the "Death Flies." These insects could reproduce by laying eggs within a host, like a human. The eggs hatched into larvae, which would chew their way out, taking the soul and life force of the victim with them. This obviously resulted in a gruesome end for the victim. They rapidly metamorphosed into fully grown flies and returned to their master.

"Unless you are protected against death magic, or have something like Amrita cast on you soon, the Death Flies will almost certainly kill you," said Saemon.

"Oh yuck!" remarked Fuuka.

"I'm going to have nightmares tonight," remarked Mitsuru.

"That sounds like the murder case. So that was all Beelzebub's doing?" asked Sanada.

"Yep," replied Saemon.

"If we can get protection, won't we be able to take him?" asked Sanada.

"It helps, but Death Flies can still do a lot of damage to you. They use almighty energy to get into your skin," replied Saemon. "On top of that, he hits like a truck and has strong resistances and immunities to nearly every attack."

"Is he really that powerful?" asked Fuuka.

"Yes," replied Saemon. "I have experience fighting him, so that's why you should let me handle him. Is that alright with you guys?"

"If you do it or us, it doesn't matter. All I and the others want is to get the soul of our friend back," replied Mitsuru. "If you can do it for us, we'd greatly appreciate it."

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

At the Survivors' base in the Shadow world, Izuna's radio buzzed, alerting her to a call from one of her men. The call was from Lt. Asano, who was in the field searching for more of the fallen meteors. "Did you find anything?" asked Izuna.

"Yes ma'am, there is an impact crater three kilometres directly to the west of our camp in a residential district. The meteorite has at least thirty Shadows in the area," reported Asano.

"Great, we will raid that location immediately. Keep me informed until we get there."

"Yes ma'am," replied Lt. Asano.

Several minutes later, Izuna's troops took positions within an apartment building just north of the crater. Hidden in the building, she could see everything in the area of the crater from the window. The meteor had flattened the houses that once stood in the area. Nearly half of the meteor had melted down and reformed into Shadows which milled about the area. Most of the Shadows were Murderers, but at least four were Reapers, and they were at the very centre of the crater near the fallen meteor.

Once Izuna gave the word, a sniper from Asano's team placed the crosshairs on a Murderer. Upon pulling the trigger, a bullet raced from the gun, piercing through the Shadow's skull. As the Shadows searched for the shooter, Izuna's team descended on the crater. Izuna hit a button on her comp, bringing her demons to bear. One of the Murderers rushed to meet her, only to be riddled by her bullets. Each hit caused the Murderer to shudder and it fatally burst into black ooze.

Her demon, Ongyo-ki, somersaulted over the horde of Murderers, landing behind their ranks. He swung a weapon resembling a long, double-headed pickaxe in sweeping arcs, cutting numerous Murderers in its path. They tried to surround him, but Ongyo-ki continued to twirl in a dance of death, cutting down Shadows by the score. One of them slipped through his guard and connected its axe to his head. The axe merely bounced off harmlessly. The Murderer was stunned and Ongyo-ki turned around and swung the pickaxe in a fatal arc to the Shadow's temple.

The Reapers, seeing how numerous their enemies were, attempted to turn and run away. Suddenly, they came face to face with several people and demons! One of the Reapers immediately turned to Keisuke and fired its revolvers. Keisuke covered up to weather the bullets striking his flesh. Keisuke's demon, Anubis, hurled a ball of almighty energy. The Megido exploded with violent force, hurling the Reaper back. It bounced back upright and attempted to join the others in fleeing.

"The Reapers are trying to escape to the south. Don't let them get away!" cried Nanako through Cherub.

Nanako immediately unleashed a Hama spell into the ranks of the Shadows. As the light raced across the crater, it erased five of the Murderers. It also struck two of the Reapers, who were immune and emerged unscathed in the wake of the light. However, they were stunned by this attack, and came face to face with Saemon, Naoto, and Mitsuru. Saemon clenched his fist, which rumbled with violet almighty energy, while Naoto readied her gun, and Mitsuru drew her sabre. The Shadows advanced anyways.

Suddenly one of the Reapers lurched forward! Scarlet had popped up behind it and raked it across the back. It fell forward, hunched over in agony. A second one turned to face her, but Azathoth grabbed it, strangling it with tendrils. Saemon flickered into existence behind and blasted it with a wave of pure darkness. The Hades Blast whipped the Reaper into a house across the street. The facade crumbled on impact, followed by the rest of the house. The Reaper instantly followed suit.

A third Reaper opened fire at Naoto, who fled for the cover of a house while returning fire. She peered out and fired more, scoring hits to the chest and arms of the Reaper. Being a Shadow, the Reaper took these hits without flinching. The Reaper unleashed a Megido spell. It exploded and demolished the wall, knocking Naoto out onto the ground and into the open. When she got up to one knee, the Reaper peppered her with bullets. She covered herself, trying to get fully upright despite this onslaught.

A fourth Reaper blasted Saemon with Megido, sending him through the window of a vacant home. As the Reaper advanced on him, Azathoth conjured a set of three orbs, one red, one green, and the last blue. They formed a Debilitate spell, which descended upon the Reaper, staggering it. It felt its strength suddenly drain while a sense of sluggishness washed over it. Mitsuru followed by spraying a blast of frigid air. Azathoth released it into the path of her attack. The angry, frost-coated Reaper slowly turned around and unleashed a Hama spell. Mitsuru dove away easily.

When the light cleared, Mitsuru rained massive boulders of ice upon the Reaper. One struck the Shadow in the face, and another to the back of the head. Both staggered the creature, keeping it dazed and confused. Another struck its back, causing it to bend forward. Frost formed on it and spread to the ground, freezing into solid ice. Yet, a second later, the Reaper busted out. However, Mitsuru's sabre was already coming in for a slash across the chest. The Reaper stumbled back and Mitsuru scored another across the chest. It fell and Mitsuru thrust down in a final, mortal strike.

* * *

><p>Monday, October 15, 2012<p>

Culture Day was rapidly approaching for the people of Japan. During this day, the Japanese celebrated their heritage by showing off their achievements, particularly in the arts. Cities and schools across the country held parades and events. Inaba and Yasogami were no different and they would have to start preparations in a week. Before that happened, the demon hunters held a meeting at the Survivor's camp. Their topic of discussion was Matsumoto, his search for sacrifices, and how it related to the Miroku prophecy.

"This year's Culture Day Festival is one of the biggest, isn't it?" asked Yuzu.

"Oh yeah, we expect a record-breaking turnout at the parade this year. The Kirijo Group is sponsoring parades in Iwatodai, Inaba, and other cities across Japan," replied Mitsuru.

"With the parade going through Inaba, everyone will be gathered on the streets and busy watching it. Matsumoto could use that opportunity to strike," said Saemon.

"Yeah, we'd better keep our eyes peeled," said Kanji.

"Yes," replied Saemon. "We're going to defend the parades at Iwatodai and Inaba. The rest will be on standby in case he sends demons over to break the barrier."

Mitsuru's cellphone rang. "Oh, is that so? Magnifique!" she replied, answering her phone. "Tell her to get Koromaru and stay in my penthouse until then. Make sure she gets a copy of my key."

"What was that?" asked Sanada.

"It was the lab. They've just finished upgrading Aigis," replied Mitsuru.

"Great!" remarked Sanada.

"Who's Aigis and who's Koromaru?" asked Yuzu.

"She's an anti-Shadow weapon, a female robot," replied Mitsuru. "This situation with Matsumoto is getting out of control. I had the lab upgrade her so she's better equipped to fight him. We'll have her and Koromaru join the Iwatodai defence team."

"Yeah, Koromaru was also with us back in our SEES days. He's actually a dog, but he can use a Persona like the rest of us," replied Sanada.

"A Persona-using dog?" asked Yuzu.

"Oh yeah, he's a very smart dog. He saved our lives when Ikutsuki had us tied up," replied Sanada.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

As anticipated, 2012's Culture Day parade was the biggest to date. People from all over town and beyond crowded around the main streets of Inaba. A procession of floats slowly made its way down the street as joyous music played in the background. In a booth overlooking the street, a male and female TV news reporter described the various floats as they passed their location. A float with a Japanese castle came into the centre of the street. It was flanked by samurai and noble women armed with naginata. It was a representation of Japan's Sengoku period.

"I can't see," said Nanako, trying to peak through the legs of the crowd.

"Here, sit on my shoulder," said Yosuke, who lifted her up for a better view.

The next float was a convoy of military vehicles ranging from jeeps to tanks. All were painted with mottled green camouflage. They were flanked and driven by JSDF soldiers, men and women dressed in similar camouflage uniforms. One of the men carried a sign that said they were from Okina City JSDF base, which protected the local region. Their jurisdiction also included the town of Inaba. The soldiers waved to people in the crowd as they passed down the street.

The military procession approached an intersection, which had been barricaded by metallic fences. Behind most of the barricades was a police car, turned sideways to block the main street. At one of these barricades was Sanada and Dojima, who watched both the parade and the crowd. They were largely acting as security to block cars from entering the main street and disrupting the parade. They panned their gaze over the street and the faces of the crowd0, but saw nothing unusual. The parade seemed to be going on without incident.

Dojima popped a cigarette into his mouth and brought a lit lighter to the tip. He took a brief inhale and blew out a puff of smoke. "So good so far. I wonder how Naoto's group is doing," remarked Dojima.

Sanada was already in the process of calling her and asking for an update. "I see, nothing here either," he said, before hanging up. "Everything's clear at her end."

"Let's hope it stays that way," said Dojima, before taking another puff of his cigarette.

Sanada called Mitsuru's post in Iwatodai. "Everything's okay here," replied Mitsuru, before hanging up.

Mitsuru glanced at the Iwatodai counterpart of the Culture Day parade, which passed down the street. At an overlooking roof top, Saemon scanned the crowd, but nothing out of the usual was happening. He vanished in a flicker of blue light and reappeared near Yuzu. "Nothing wrong on the north. I'm going to check the south side," he said to Yuzu, before vanishing

Saemon reappeared next to Aigis, the anti-Shadow weapon. She was an android who resembled a blonde Caucasian girl who wore red headphones. Aigis was dressed in casual street clothes which concealed her mechanical joints. "Did you see anything?" asked Saemon.

"No, everything is fine," replied Aigis.

"Okay, I'm checking on the east. Keep up the good work," said Saemon, before vanishing in a flicker of blue light.

Back at Inaba, its Culture Day parade continued uninterrupted. The latest group to pass by was a procession of Shinto priests and maidens in their ceremonial white and red garb. Suddenly, a bright blue light flickered and a grotesque creature appeared behind them. The creature was a large, lion-like beast with a goat's head grafted to it. Instead of a tail, it had a snake grafted to its rump, which hissed and moved about with a mind of its own. This creature was known as a Chimera, the patchwork creature from Greek Myth.

When people noticed the massive Chimera, they started to panic and run. The Shinto priests looked behind were taken aback when they saw the Chimera staring back. The Chimera roared, startling several of them and even causing one priest to trip. His friends quickly helped him up and continued to run away. The Chimera took a long, deep breath and spewed a roaring torrent of flame. A few of the priests were caught and had their robes ignited.

"AAAAH! AAAAAH! AAAAAAH!" screamed a priest, trying to rolling on the ground and remove his robes.

The Chimera approached Sanada and Dojima's location. They saw it around the corner, over the heads of the panicking Shinto priests and crowd. They drew their weapons ran towards the beast. An explosion rang out from further down the parade. They could only give a brief glance, but could only see the resulting smoke. The Chimera reared back and roared. Sanada and Dojima's attention snapped back to the beast. It exhaled roaring flame. Several people fell to the ground with grievous burns.

"Nanako?" asked Dojima.

"I'm on it, dad," replied Nanako, who proceeded to scan the Chimera. "That thing is called a Chimera. It can absorb fire and banishment spells. Use ice instead."

Dojima and Sanada fired several rounds into the Chimera's rump. The beast lurched forward in pain. Mere bullets were not enough to stop it. "Cover me!" cried Dojima.

Sanada moved to the side, firing his gun, hoping to draw the Chimera's attention to him. The Chimera took the bait and reared back to breath fire. Sanada covered up and dug in as the flames washed over his body. The heat was intense as it rushed past his face and stung severely. Dojima called upon Hachiman and projected a stream of icy air. Biting frost coated the Chimera's rump, causing it to roar in agony. The creature turned around in search of what had froze. It came face to face with Dojima and swiped at him with its right paw. Dojima narrowly dove out of the way and bolted away.

The Chimera pursued. Dojima approached the barricade, vaulted over, continued running. More officers entered the scene from ahead, passing him in cars blaring with sirens. They screeched to a sudden stop, got out, and formed a line. They pelted the Chimera with bullets. The beast growled in pain, but pushed through to continue its advance. The Chimera encountered the barricade and smashed it out of the way. One of the fence sections went flying forward. The officers ducked as it slammed into one of their cars, shattering glass and crunching metal.

The officers peeked out and returned fire. The Chimera bore the pain and reared back to exhale flame. Despite trying to run, the officers were blown to the ground and their uniforms had caught on fire. "AH! AHHHHH!" they screamed, scrambling to remove their clothes or roll on the ground to snuff the fires.

The Chimera torqued its head, streaming the fire over all of the squad cars. It stopped and spit a fireball at one of the squad cars. The fireball struck and exploded the vehicle with tremendous force, hurling it into the air while igniting it. Dojima dove down, covering his head from any scattered fragments. "Shit!" he cursed as he got up.

Sanada caught up and whipped out his new Evoker, a pen-like device, and fired it into his head. Out came his Persona, Caesar, a large, black-skinned Roman soldier clad in white armour. He carried a globe in the left hand and a sword in the right. Within its chest cavity was a miniature man in a black suit with long brown hair, seated on a wooden throne. The man was like a pilot controlling a large robotic war machine. Caesar immediately emitted lightning from the globe. Struck, the Chimera convulsed in paralysing agony.

Dojima unleashed a jet of frigid air. The Chimera roared in pain, shocked by Sanada's Zio and frozen by Dojima's Bufu. Their combined attacks incapacitated the beast. Sparks of electricity danced along its body and chunks of ice bound its face and front legs. Sanada cast Rakunda, dropping a blue orb upon the Chimera. It shivered from the weakness rushing over it, despite its immobility. Dojima and Sanada combined Bufu and Zio spells. The electricity danced around the ice crystals as they flew forward. The Chimera let out a final roar and crumbled into blobs of inky darkness.

Dojima approached Sanada, noticing the burns on his cheek. "Hold still," he requested. Dojima channelled a Dia spell upon the burns, healing them rapidly. "That should do it. Let's go, we have a lot of work to do."

* * *

><p>A nightmarish scene spread across Inaba. Hundreds of people were on the streets, either dead or bleeding out. Only a few minutes had passed, yet the casualties were staggering, numbering in the hundreds. The smoky scent of burning flesh filled the air, along with that of blood. Streamers and food soiled the streets after the Culture Day celebrators abandoned them in their haste to flee. Yet, the massacre was still not over. The demons had simply moved away from the parade's path, seeking out those who had not been caught in their initial attack.<p>

Chie punched a small blue imp in the face. The Bilwis crumbled into pure darkness and vanished. "Is everyone okay?" asked Chie.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Yukiko, closing ranks near Chie, looking around for possible ambushes.

"This is ridiculous! How many of them are there?" asked Yosuke. "Didn't Atsuro say he stopped the demons?"

"I don't know. Maybe Matsumoto found new ones," replied Chie.

A demoness of pinkish-red skin with black markings approached Chie. She carried a vajra in her teeth and had wild black hair. The creature had long black nails that seemed like blades attached to her fingertips. The demon did not have any legs at all, looking more like a floating torso. A sheet of golden cloth draped down from her belt, flanked by a pair of ropes with spherical bulbs and hooks on the end. The demoness lunged at Chie. She dodged and backed away for distance.

"Wait!" said Nanako.

The demoness lunged again. Chie sidestepped while sending a kick to the side of the abdomen. Her leg struck and exposed a once invisible golden barrier. Chie suddenly felt a hard strike from the left, as though she had taken a kick herself. She stumbled back. Upon recovering, she aimed a punch at Rangda's chin, but hit the barrier again. She stumbled back again, as though smashed in the jaw. "Ow!" gasped Chie as she rubbed her chin.

"Don't rush in!" said Nanako. "That demon is Rangda. She reflects any physical attack back to the sender. Use electricity if you can."

"Could have told me sooner!" said Chie, still wincing and rubbing her jaw.

"We could use Kanji or Dojima's help right about now," said Yosuke as he prepared to fight Rangda.

"Other magic can still hurt her," replied Nanako. "It's just that she's more vulnerable to electricity."

Yukiko retreated near Chie, casting a Dia spell to heal her. Once the light healed her wounds, they moved to assist Yosuke. Rangda swiped with her claw. Yosuke sidestepped it. Rangda immediately conjured three orbs of light, one of each primary colour, upon the trio. It was a Debilitate spell, which drained their strength and made sensation of sluggishness wash over them. Rangda immediately slashed with her nails. Yosuke barely sidestepped it, getting nicked in the arm before he could escape. It started to bleed lightly.

"That was too close," said Yosuke. He immediately conjured an orb of green light.

The Sukukaja spell removed the sluggishness, even made the group feel much more light and agile. Rangda swung for Yukiko. Yukiko parried with her fan, much to Rangda's surprise. Yukiko countered by spraying flames into the Rangda's face. She stumbled backwards, covering her face against the fire and head. Chie sprayed frigid wind. It washed over the Rangda, coating her body with ice. The ice spread until it connected to the ground, which pinned her in place. Unable to get away, she took Yukiko's flames full force and burnt down into blobs of darkness.

All of a sudden, the sky started to darken, as though a storm was beginning to brew. Nanako looked around and noticed a vortex swirling above Junes. "There's something going on at Junes," remarked Nanako as she scanned the location with Cherub. "Demons are trying to open a hole to the TV world!"

"Tell Midori and Keisuke!" said Yukiko.

"Midori, Keisuke, they're trying to open a gate at Junes' roof. You have to stop them!" said Nanako telepathically through Cherub.

"I'm on my way. Magical Dolly to the rescue!" said Midori.

Midori ran and leapt from roof to roof, until she reached the base of Junes. She dropped to street level and continued on foot into the department store. Inside, merchandise such as fruit and cereal had been scattered all over the floor. Much of the fruit had been trampled, leaving a pulpy, sticky mess. The demons likely had started a panic when they entered Junes. The elevator's call button had been smashed in and was sparking. They found the stairs nearby and ran up as quickly as possible, reaching the electronics department.

There, they noticed several Mothmen, moth-like demons which walked on two legs. Though surprisingly cute for a demon, they were smashing TV sets and shelves, making a general mess of the area. No other human beings were in the area. Midori reached for the button to her comp. "No," said Keisuke. "Let me take them. Go up top and stop the spell."

"Okay, I'll deliver magical punishment to the leader. Be careful," said Midori.

Keisuke called in his demons, Anubis and Badb Catha. He hurled Bufu at a Mothman. It froze solid alerting the other Mothmen to his presence. They immediately rushed at him and his demons. Midori took this chance to slip by and darted up the staircase to the roof. She reached the door and peeked through the crack between the hinges. At the centre was Ishtar, the Goddess of Love. She was floating above her star-like symbol. She glowed with dark power, likely channelling the magical power to open the way to the Shadow world. She was guarded by five Mothmen.

Midori pressed a button on her comp bringing her demons to the real world. She nodded to Hector, who ripped the door out of its hinges and smashed his way through the entryway to the roof. Still shocked, the Mothmen could not do anything as he chucked the door at Ishtar. It ended up hitting and exposing a barrier of golden light. "Stop her!" cried Ishtar.

The Mothmen swarmed Midori's group. Black Frost conjured a blizzard upon them, freezing two in blocks of ice. Hector marched forward and snatched another two. Through brute strength, he hurled them at Ishtar, but her barrier protected her again. Midori sprayed fire upon Ishtar. The Goddess of Love raised the barrier, as expected. However, the dark glow around her visibly waned in strength as Midori maintained the flames. Midori realized that she was dividing Ishtar's attention, making it difficult for her to maintain the spell.

"Forget the demons! Focus on the tamer!" cried Ishtar.

The fifth Mothman hurled itself at Midori, forcing her to break her attack. The Mothman arced lightning, forcing Midori to cover up. The electricity surged over her painfully, but she gritted her teeth and bore it. When it tired, Midori unleashed a Megido spell. On contact, the violet orb exploded violently and flattened the Mothman. It crashed into Ishtar, who raised the shield as protection. The Mothman quickly scrambled upright and hurled more electricity. It caused staggering convulsions in Midori momentarily. She willed herself through it and blasted the Mothman with a final Megido spell.

She turned back to Ishtar, blasting her with searing flame. Once again, Ishtar diverted concentration from the spell to raise a protective barrier. Midori ramped up the power until Ishtar could not bear it. Ishtar stopped casting and devoted her power to the barrier. The opening in the sky started to decay and reseal itself. "Dammit!" she cursed. "Everyone retreat!"

Ishtar and her demon allies vanished in flickers of blue light. "Alright! Magical Dolly saves the day! Love and justice prevail! Hooray!" cheered Midori.

Back at the street, Yukiko blasted another Rangda with Agi. Demons started to converge on her and the others location. She glanced from direction to direction, seeing demons everywhere. She, Yosuke, Chie, and Nanako backed into a group. There was nowhere left to go. Yet, the demons did nothing, except stare them down. Seconds passed and the demons still did nothing. "Why aren't they attacking?" asked Yosuke.

All of a sudden, each demons vanished in a flicker of blue light. "What's going on? Why are they disappearing?" asked Chie.

Suddenly, a rumbling resonated through the air and the sky started to darken. Yosuke noticed an unusual, spectral fissure opening down the street and dove away. Yukiko and Chie joined him, looking upon this strange phenomenon in puzzlement. A black ooze, like molasses, started to leak out and inch its way down the road. As the ooze spread, several blobs started to rise and coalesce into spherical forms. Each formed stripes and grew a mouth with a large tongue which stuck out almost mockingly.

Yosuke recognized them as being Hableries, the same Shadows which had attacked him and Souji when Souji first manifested his Persona. "Those are Shadows!" said Yosuke.

"Shadows? Are you sure?" asked Yukiko.

"Yes, they..." replied Yosuke, before being lunged at by a Hablerie.

Yosuke quickly dove away. Another went for Chie, who dodged. It tried again, but crashed into her foot as she kicked forward. The Hablerie soared across the street, crashing into garbage in the opposite alley. The Hablerie disintegrated soon after coming to its abrupt stop. Yukiko evaded a third which went for her. She seared hers with a blast of flame. It landed on the ground, writhing in agony as it disintegrated. Yosuke caught the first in a tornado. It spun around, battered about by the winds before crumbling into darkness.

"Glad that's over with," said Yosuke, trying to catch his breath.

"Those were Shadows... in the real world!" said Yukiko, shocked at what she had seen. "How is that possible? Midori stopped the portal spell!"

"Fuuka just called me," said Nanako. "She said Saemon said that Matsumoto just united the worlds."

"Yeah, we know that," said Chie. "How did he do it?"

"He says Matsumoto had cast the spell in another city," replied Nanako.

"Another city?" asked Chie. "Which one?"

"Sumaru City," replied Nanako.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	16. Temp 7:  2012

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Temperance Arcana 7: 2012 **

Saturday, November 3, 2012

"This sucks! We did all that and Matsumoto still wins? Damn!" cursed Kanji, slamming the table with his fists.

Naoto sighed. "We had no idea that there were other entrances to the Shadow World. The more I think about it, the more I think that there are many places where the barriers are weak. If that's true, there was no way we could have stopped Matsumoto, even if we knew them all."

The group was disheartened by Naoto's suggestion. "There's still hope. Matsumoto still has to summon Kagutsuchi, doesn't he?" asked Yuzu. "If we can stop him then, we win right?"

"Yeah," replied Saemon. "He has only a limited window to do so and must do it where he had breached the barrier between worlds. That means Mt. Iwato in Sumaru City. If we can cause him to miss the December 21 deadline, we win. I'm sure he knows this, so he'll have occupied the city and put it under martial law."

"That must be why those demons suddenly disappeared. He called them back for defence," said Yosuke.

"Hold on," said Yukiko. "Even if we know where he's hiding, there's still the problem with the Shadows. What are we going to do about them? Inaba is in danger!"

"Iwatodai too," said Sanada.

"So, that means we'll need to split up again. Some of us will have to stay behind to defend against Shadows," said Mitsuru.

Saemon, Naoto, and Mitsuru divided the demon hunters into three teams. The first two teams were defence units assigned to protect Inaba and Iwatodai from Shadow attacks. As an officer of the Inaba Police Department, Dojima would lead the Inaba team with Sanada as his second in command and Nanako as support. Naoto, Ai, Yosuke, and Chie rounded out their ranks. Iwatodai's defence force would be led by Aigis with Fuuka as both second in command and support. Koromaru, Naoki, Kanji, Yukiko, and Teddie rounded out their ranks.

"That means Mitsuru, Saemon, and his friends are going to attack Sumaru," said Chie.

"Yep," replied Saemon. "You know your home cities better than the rest of us. You can respond to Shadow attacks much more quickly."

"Mitsuru is going with Saemon's team as support. She's also our liaison with our Kirijo Group allies in Sumaru," replied Naoto.

"Each of us has a job to do. Let's take the fight to Matsumoto! Good luck everybody," said Mitsuru.

* * *

><p>Friday, November 23, 2012<p>

The Survivors and a small squad of soldiers flew through the Shadow world on the backs of aerial demons such as Suzaku and Garuda. The winds whipped into their faces as the traversed the sky. Below, on the streets of Sumaru, bullets and elemental bolts sailed back and forth between the groups. Fushimi's soldiers went down the street single file, approaching the location of the heaviest fire. Saemon's group approached the top of a wooden, Japanese castle with shingled roofs from the Warring States period. It had been built atop a steep stone base which was nearly impossible to climb.

"We'll enter from the roof and clear our way to the exit on the ground floor," informed Fushimi, yelling over the wind. "When we leave from the front door, we'll be in the real world side of Sumaru."

The demons landed on Sumaru Castle's topmost roof. Azathoth, the demon which carried Saemon, extended tendrils made from the chaotic matter of his body. They ripped shingles from the roof and crushed them until he had opened a hole large enough for a person to fit. Saemon and his team dropped into the hole one by one. Once on solid ground, they called in the rest of their demons to begin exploring the castle. Saemon went with Mitsuru, Atsuro, and Yuzu, travelling down to the next floor.

There, they spotted a group of three Shadows wandering the hallways. They resembled miniature castles or fortresses. They were armed with cannons which peeked through small window-like holes on their bodies. The fortress-like Shadows each had a mask much like a king's crown. They moved by using a pair of thick, elephant-like legs. "Those are Castle Shadows," said Mitsuru telepathically. "They are resistant to physical and elemental damage other than wind. Banishment spells are also good against them."

"Yuzu, take care of them," said Saemon.

"Easy," she replied.

She hurled large blades of green air at the Castles. The Wind Cutters sliced through each Castle like they were air. They crumbled to the ground, piece by piece, and broke apart into darkness. "Magnifique!" remarked Mitsuru.

Saemon's team descended the floors of the castle, eliminating wandering patrols of Shadows all along the way. When they reached the lobby of the entrance, they came across a massive Shadow which resembled a cross. It had a golden, ring-like ornament which resembled the sun at its centre. The cross had weighing plates at each end of the horizontal bar, giving it the appearance of a scale. The Shadow's grey mask was at its centre and had an opening like a cross on it.

"This Shadow is a World Balance. It is immune to banishment and death attacks," informed Mitsuru.

The World Balance flooded the room with flame. The team covered up to withstand the onslaught, but Mitsuru started to become overwhelmed. The flames broke through her guard and pushed her back to the wall behind. Scarlet appeared in front of Mitsuru, blocking the fire with her very body, absorbing its power into her being. Surt began pushing through the flames, closing in on the World Balance. With a single swing, Surt slashed the Shadow, knocking it to the ground.

"Mitsuru!" cried Yuzu. "Are you okay?"

With the flames stopped, Scarlet set to work healing Mitsuru. Azathoth unleashed an explosion of violet, almighty energy. In one fell swoop, the Nuclear Chaos ripped the Shadow apart, leaving nothing but a crater behind. The explosion was so powerful, it even tore a hole through the roof, exposing the upper floor. Some soldiers on the floor above went to investigate and found Saemon's team below. Saemon gave a thumbs up to the soldier to indicate that things were fine.

* * *

><p>Saturday, December 8, 2012<p>

Having taken Sumaru Castle, the Survivor forces now had a beachhead right in Matsumoto's backyard. The soldiers began sandbagging the castle and transporting more men and equipment to the area. At the same time, outside of the castle, there was a goateed Japanese man in a baseball cap and casual wear. As the man walked down the street, a Table Shadow jumped out of an alley and charged him. The smile left the jovial man's face, turning into grim determination as he drew a katana.

The Table lunged, but the man dodged and slipped behind the Shadow. "Too slow," he remarked, bringing the sword down on the Shadow's head. The Shadow split into two cleanly and melted into black goo and vanished.

The man sensed another threat from behind and spun around to face it. It was a Gigas, a Shadow which resembled a black-skinned version of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. The Gigas charged forward, trying to clothesline the Japanese swordsman. The swordsman ducked, causing the Gigas to overshoot. As the swordsman recovered, the Gigas turned around for another pass. The swordsman ducked and rolled away. The Gigas overshot once again, uprooting a mail box as its arm connected with it.

"Nice try, but I have a secret weapon," remarked the swordsman.

The swordsman held his open palm aloft, creating a tarot card. It had the picture of a flame being conjured by a wizard's hands. He crushed the card and brought a Persona, into existence. This Persona looked like a bird-man wearing red garb with wings of gold on his back and on his boots. Lodged in its open mouth was a red orb which glowed with power. This Persona was Trismegistus, the Thrice Great. Trismegistus breathed searing flames from its orb. The Shadow flailed about helplessly as they seared his body.

Despite the flames, the Gigas charged through, bowling over the swordsman with another clothesline. "Ow!" blurted the swordsman as he was hurled to the pavement.

As the Gigas stopped to make its next move, a gunshot rang out. The Gigas was stunned, taking a handgun bullet below his right shoulder. The shooter revealed himself to be a Japanese man with brown sideburns. He was dressed in a grey suit much like a detective from Miami Vice. A second man followed him, who resembled the first so much that it was obvious the two men were brothers. The first detective, the older brother, fired again, striking the Gigas in the left ribs.

"Guns aren't enough for that one," remarked the older brother.

"Time for my Persona," replied the younger brother.

The younger brother created a tarot card which depicted the sun, and promptly crushed it with his bare hand. His Persona appeared before them, a man dressed in striped red garb. On the Persona' face was a mask resembling flames. This Persona was Apollo, the Sun God. Apollo waved his hand, causing a massive, fiery explosion to tear through the Gigas. When the destruction subsided, all that remained was a patch of smouldering charcoal. The Shadow was dead and the swordsman was safe.

The older brother helped the swordsman rise to his feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm alright. It's nothing I can't handle," replied the swordsman.

"You have a Persona too," remarked the older brother.

"Yeah, for quite awhile now," replied the swordsman. "I'm Junpei Iori, nice to meet ya."

"I'm Katsuya Suou of the Sumaru Police Department," replied the older brother, flashing a badge. "This is my brother Tatsuya. We're also Persona users like you."

"Yeah, I've noticed," remarked Junpei. "What's going here? There are Shadows everywhere and demons running around."

"We're part of a resistance force in Sumaru. A man named Hiroshi Matsumoto had taken control of the city with demons," informed Tatsuya.

"Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it, this is something the police isn't prepared to deal with. We need Personas to fight Matsumoto," remarked Katsuya. "We could use someone like you on our side."

Before Junpei could answer, numerous Shadows converged on their location. These new ones were merely blobs of darkness with multiple hands. They all wore a mask with a frowning face. Junpei recognized these Shadows as Maya. The Maya Shadows were very weak individually, but outnumbered Junpei's side by more than a dozen to three. The Maya also had the three of them surrounded. Junpei and the Suou brothers put their backs to each other to avoid being blindsided.

At that moment, a tornado ripped through the Maya in front of Junpei. The whirling winds sucked up each Maya and spun them in a dizzying circle. The creator of this tornado, a blue-haired teenager in headphones and a black cloak, approached the group. The boy appeared much like a sorcerer in his garb. A red-headed woman emerged from behind the boy. She cut down two more Maya with the sweeping slash of a rapier and hurled icy blasts at another with her aristocratic, female Persona.

As demons belonging to the sorcerer dispatched the remaining Maya, the red-headed woman approached Junpei. "Mitsuru? Am I glad to see you!" remarked Junpei.

"Iori! It's been so long," addressed Mitsuru. "How have you been?"

"Life's been peachy," replied Junpei. "What brings you here? I doubt you came here to sightsee..."

"Long story," replied Mitsuru. "Oh my manners... This is Saemon Ichihara." Saemon nodded as Mitsuru introduced him to Junpei. "We're here to fight Matsumoto, who occupied the city."

"You're fighting Matsumoto too?" asked Tatsuya.

"Yes," replied Saemon. "That man has caused us so much grief."

"Pardon me, but you look like an old friend of mine," remarked Junpei.

"Yeah, I thought he was Minato when I first saw him too," admitted Mitsuru.

"What's this Matsumoto guy up to anyways?" asked Junpei. "He has to have some reason to take over the whole city like that."

"He is trying to cast a spell that would end the world," replied Saemon.

"End the world? I thought we were through with all this stuff after high school!" said Junpei, his voice raising in frustration. "Argggh!"

"If you're going to go up against Matsumoto, let us help you. The resistance will be a great help to you," suggested Katsuya.

* * *

><p>Thursday, December 20, 2012<p>

Matsumoto's demons patrolled the roads, caves, and the sky of the Mt. Iwato area. The size of his force was staggering, and appeared to contain hundreds of demons. Due to this, a frontal assault against this force was suicidal, at least with its current strength. Behind this "wall" of demonic protection, Pabelsag worked the magic which would bring Kagutsuchi into this world. He was at the heart of a caldera at the very peak of Iwato. Time was running short. The end of the Mayan Calendar and the world was quickly approaching.

Night had fallen. Boarding their demons on the roof of Sumaru, the Survivors prepared to fly through the air to the top of the mountain. "So this Beelzebub took Minato's soul and he was the one who destroyed Nyx?" asked Junpei.

"Yep, Metatron told me that himself," replied Saemon.

"Wow!" remarked Junpei. "That must have been some battle, to have blown up the moon like that."

"So, how are we going to get through with all those demons flying around the mountain?" asked Tatsuya as he hopped onto Suzaku.

"We're going to overload comps and shoot them at the mountain," replied Atsuro. "That will set loose demons which will distract the other army so we can sneak in."

Something streaked up and towards Mt. Iwato from the base of the castle. Below, several of Fushimi's artillery men were loading mortars and firing them at Mt. Iwato. Yuzu watched the mountain through binoculars and saw how one of the shells had landed on a cliff. Instead of the flash of explosion, the dust cleared to reveal a comp. Seconds later, a blue light flickered across the screen and a griffin-like demon with bat wings emerged on the cliff. It was a Gagyson. It flew to look around and soon ran afoul of Matsumoto's aerial guard, triggering a fearsome exchange of fire.

"That's our cue to go," said Yuzu.

The assault team finished boarding and flew straight for the caldera of Mt. Iwato. All through the sky, they could see flying demons randomly battling each other. It was pure chaos. Elemental blasts flew back and forth with no rhyme or reason. Atsuro's plan worked, as Matsumoto's demons were too preoccupied with the random stragglers to stop their approach. Atsuro pointed out a cliff with a cave next to it. That cave led to the centre of the caldera and was their target.

Upon passing through to the caldera's interior, a fireball came at Saemon, which he evaded by teleporting away. He reappeared and hurled lightning at a Gagyson, shocking it into nothingness. He spotted several Cyclopses, who wound up to hurl rocks at his team. He cut one off by blasting it with lightning. The target convulsed in pain and collapsed. Others turned their attention to him and hurled rocks, which hit an invisible gold barrier and rebounded back. Azathoth blew a Nuclear Chaos upon the Cyclopses, clearing them out.

"Matsumoto's ritual site is just ahead. We have to hurry!" said Saemon.

More demons flooded out of the entry cave behind the team, coming from deeper within the labyrinthine cave network of Mt. Iwato. "Incoming!" cried Atsuro, ducking a fireball. "Let's get'em!"

The demon who had attacked him was Tlaloc, an Aztec god who resembled a blue man who hovered cross-legged off the ground. Tlaloc seemed to be flipping a red cloud as though he was an Italian chef flipping pizza dough. Tlaloc hurled another fireball, which Atsuro dissipated by chopping through. Surt charged forward for a chop, but Tlaloc sidestepped. Tlaloc whipped the cloud at Surt, who stumbled back for a split-second. Surt thrust his sword, but Tlaloc caught it in the palm of his hand, absorbing part of the blade.

Surt retracted the sword and threw a haymaker to the jaw. "Go!" commanded Atsuro.

Keisuke, his demons, Junpei, and the Suou brothers took positions beside him. "We'll hold them back. You guys worry about Matsumoto," assured Junpei.

"Okay, be careful you guys," said Yuzu.

Keisuke, Atsuro, and their demons formed a line near the entrance to the cave. Surt extended his sword into the cave, burning anything which tried to leave the cave. Saemon and the others continued further up the path, to a site near the centre of the Iwato caldera. A rotund, "wild man" demon with veiny blue skin stepped forward. This demon wore a tiger skin on his body and a matching headband. He carried the Corpse Staff in his left hand and wore a matching garland of skulls and bones. The demon's curly black hair blew in the wind as its burning red eyes glared at the team menacingly.

"Baal Zebul," said Saemon. "...Or should I call you Beelzebub?"

"Yes King of Bel, it is I. This is the end of the line for you," replied Beelzebub.

In the distance, behind Baal Zebul, Saemon could see Pabelsag, preoccupied with casting the spell of summoning. Matsumoto was ahead of the magic sigil, glancing back and forth between his demon and Saemon's raiding force. He pointed to Saemon's direction. Ishtar and several security demons rushed to join Baal Zebul's side. Saemon immediately hurled electricity at Baal Zebul. The towering wild man took the full brunt of this attack, but withstood it. Baal Zebul countered with his own, but Saemon held out his hand, and absorbed all of the electricity.

Azathoth extended tendrils and caught Baal Zebul. His foe suddenly transformed into a swarm of flies and flew to a new location to reform. Baal Zebul hurled lightning in return, catching the Daemon Sultan. The electricity arced across the surface of his body, keeping him stunned. Azathoth broke out and ignited a massive Nuclear Chaos. It hurled Baal Zebul to the ground, but he quickly rose to one knee. When he was almost completely upright, Scarlet popped in and raked him in the back. Baal Zebul fell back to a knee, stunned by the sneak attack.

Yuzu sent a tornado forth, which trapped Ishtar and carried her away. She noticed Pabelsag and hurled a Wind Cutter his way. Matsumoto leapt in front and created a golden, iridescent barrier. The Shield All spell completely negated the attack. Lightning struck Yuzu, forcing her to turn her attention to its source, Ishtar. The love goddess kept the power streaming forth, forcing Yuzu to cover up. Ishtar started to close the gap while keeping Yuzu trapped in the lightning.

When she got close enough, she grabbed Yuzu by the hair and pulled her head down to be kneed in the face. Yuzu grasped at her hair, trying to squirm out of Ishtar's grip. Ishtar countered by tugging tighter, but Yuzu suddenly poked the love goddess in the eye. Ishtar stumbled back, covering her eye. Yuzu blasted her with wind, sending her bouncing across the ground. As Ishtar rose to her feet, Yuzu hurled a Wind Cutter, which Ishtar narrowly avoided by moving her head left.

Mitsuru slipped past the battle lines and came face to face with Matsumoto. He responded by drawing a gun and shooting. Mitsuru stood her ground, focusing Artemisia's power to withstand this assault. When Matsumoto exhausted his clip, she hurled ice. Matsumoto covered up, only to find Mitsuru charging forward as he dropped his guard. He tried to shoot her, but Mitsuru sliced the bullets on approach. She came close and sliced off the barrel of the pistol. With a swift boot, she put him on the ground

She turned to Pabelsag and sprayed ice at him, but he used magical power to put up a Shield All spell. Matsumoto shook himself out of the daze and noticed Mitsuru, trying to disrupt Pabelsag's concentration. He immediately hurled flame at her, pushing her back. She was forced to stop the stream of ice and cover up to withstand the searing flames. When Matsumoto tired, she expelled ice, which he sidestepped. Mitsuru tried again, but Matsumoto hurled flames. The two attacks collided and their senders entered into a tug of war.

"Look!" cried Midori, pointing to the sky.

At the sky above the ritual site, a single point of white light had appeared. This spark expanded rapidly until it was like an orb made from several bricks. The orb glowed with a bluish-white light that made it appear almost like a star. It continued to expand until its light flooded the caldera. Lightning started to arc from it, striking randomly at objects on the planet's surface. "It's Kagutsuchi!" cried Saemon.

* * *

><p>Friday, December 21, 2012<p>

Saemon's group began a hasty retreat from the area. The ground shook endlessly as the Earth's landmasses began to shift to their new locations in the Vortex World. The tremors made it very difficult to maintain a secure footing, let alone move at any significant speed. As they stumbled past the cliff's entry cave, several rocks landed before Junpei and the Suou brothers. Junpei stopped and held his arms out to keep the brothers from crashing into the rubble. Mitsuru turned around and saw the pile of rubble separating the two groups.

"Iori!" she cried.

Saemon turned around and noticed that the Suou brothers and Junpei had been separated from the others. "Damn!" he cursed, trying to dig through the fallen rocks. They were too numerous and too thickly stacked to dig through.

"Can you blast through?" asked Midori.

"It's too dangerous," replied Katsuya from the other side. "You might collapse the cave."

"There's no time!" cried Junpei. "Don't worry about us. We'll find a way out."

"Okay, stay alive, all of you," said Mitsuru. "Let's go!"

Junpei and the Suou brothers worked their way deeper through the labyrinthine caves of Mount Iwato. As the ground rumbled and shook beneath them, dust and small bits of rubble dislodged from the roof. The cave network was being destabilized by the tremors. Every second, the roof threatened to come down and bury them within forever. Nevertheless, the trio scrambled through the hallways, passing random demons. They too were too terrified to mind the group, as they were more concerned about their own survival.

As they wound down the numerous tunnels, Tatsuya pointed out an opening from which light shone through. Checking outside, he found it was still quite a ways from the ground. However, a tall tree was near this exit, close enough for a human to jump over. Tatsuya leapt over and landed on one of the branches. A second later, Junpei and Katsuya came out of the cave and followed his lead. The two landed near Tatsuya, who caught them on the other side to help them gain their footing.

As they clung to the branches, they saw a formation of familiar demons fleeing the mountain area in the direction of Sumaru Castle. "Looks like they got out safely too," remarked Junpei.

* * *

><p>From Gekkoukan, Fuuka looked up at the bright star which shone in the heavens. "Oh no!"<p>

Suddenly, the school shifted! Fuuka was startled and nearly lost her balance as the school suddenly shot up. Nearby, Aigis flailed her arms about, trying to maintain her balance. Koromaru flattened himself against the ground, trying to cling to it for safety. When Aigis peered over the edge of the roof, she noticed that the school was moving. The ground was shifting and buildings, trees, and even people were moved both away from and towards the school. Gekkoukan High itself had been pushed higher by at least three more stories from the ground.

Gekkoukan shuddered as its landmass collided with another, causing Fuuka to lose balance and fall onto her back. The school continued drifting along and hit a massive mountain, tearing off a piece from Gekkoukan's landmass. The school suddenly tilted, causing Fuuka to slide down towards the edge of the roof. Her feet caught the retaining fence, which prevented her from sliding off the edge of the roof. Gekkoukan's landmass suddenly collided again, which Fuuka withstood by bracing the roof.

The cement around the fence's securing bolts started to crack, creating highly visible fissures. Ten seconds later, one of the bolts popped out. Fuuka felt the fence sink slightly beneath her feet. Also, she could hear the creaking from the metal nearby as it ground and strained against the cement. She strengthened her grip on the roof and looked down. Everything below was small and moving to new locations randomly. A fall from this height would be crippling, possibly even fatal.

"Help!" she cried, projecting her voice upwards to her friends higher on the roof. Suddenly, the school shook, and Koromaru had tumbled down towards a more stable section of fence near her. The fence creaked from Koromaru's landing. The dog regained his bearings and barked at Fuuka. "Yeah, I'm not very strong. It's hard for me to climb up."

Koromaru bit into Fuuka's sleeve and tugged to help her climb up. A tremor rocked the building. Fuuka lost her grip and started sliding down to land on the fence. The fence let out a loud creak. More bolts popped out and it suddenly dipped. One stream of Kagutsuchi's lightning hit the fence, burning a hole far to the left. "Hang on! I'm coming!" cried Aigis, slowly lowering herself down.

A faint rumbling filled the air. Mixed with it was what sounded like rushing water. It sounded like it was coming towards them. "What's that sound?" asked Fuuka. She looked right and saw a massive tsunami moving her direction. Her eyes widened in horror. "AAAAAAAH!"

The tsunami had descended upon them, sweeping Fuuka and Koromaru along with it. "FUUKA! KOROMARU!" cried Aigis, yet there was nothing she could do, except hang on and hope she wasn't washed away as well.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	17. Judge 1: World of Kagutsuchi

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 1: World of Kagutsuchi **

At their peak, the tremors stopped. A great flash of white light blanketed the land, consuming all in its grasp. When it subsided, all who were affected saw a great glowing orb. It was like a miniature sun, shining with a white light which was tinged slightly blue. It was made of bricks with numerous similar ones orbiting, flying around the room in a perfectly symmetrical circle. Nobody knew if they were dead, alive, or hovering in the border between them. They were too enthralled by this sight to do anything.

"You who are about to enter my world, show me what you have in your heart," said the echoing, disembodied voice of the sun. He paused momentarily as though waiting for an answer. "You have nary a hint of a Reason. If you are to shape this world, this can not be. Go, and find yourself."

1 Day after Conception

The shifting of landmasses had stopped. The Earth now surrounded a central sun, the demon Kagutsuchi, as its new core. The world itself had been devastated. The sprawling cities of mankind were no more. Now, all that remained were crumbling ruins. The land itself was a desolate, barren wasteland with nothing for miles around. Above, the blue-white sun waxed and waned, shining down upon the land, waiting. He awaited the fated time when the Reason bearer would come forth and determine the direction of the next world.

"Ow..." groaned Kanji as he started to arise. "Where am I?"

Nearby, his friends were also starting to move, having regained consciousness. Kanji looked around and saw Naoki, Teddie, and Yukiko. Of the town of Iwatodai, only a small neighbourhood of Tatsumi Port Island survived passing through the Conception. Even then, the houses were severely damaged, and the area was eerily quiet. There were no commuting people or vehicles. The air was very dusty and much of it had gotten all over Kanji's clothes. He quickly wiped it off and looked around, seeing only a vacant lot.

The others started to revive a second after Kanji. Teddie sniffed the air and caught the familiar scent of oil, metal, and plastic. "I smell Aigis to the north," informed Teddie.

"Does that mean we're still near Gekkoukan High?" asked Yukiko.

"Maybe," replied Naoki. "That looks like the monorail station over there."

Naoki pointed to a large, damaged building over to the east. A set of train tracks ran out of this building, leading further to the south. The track had started to go upward on an incline to a southern bridge. The bridge and its track had been severed from the shifting landmasses. "Yeah, I recognize it," said Yukiko.

"Let's see if Aigis is okay," suggested Kanji.

The group travelled north on foot to confirm the state of Gekkoukan High. It was heavily damaged also from the shifting landmasses of the Conception. Part of the roof's chain-link fence had been torn off and swept away to parts unknown. The school had tilted from part of its foundation being disrupted due to the Conception. Like the rest of the houses in the area, the place was eerily quiet. Behind a ground floor window, they noticed a blue glow. When they stealthily gathered around to scout it out, they noticed the spirit of a boy writing on the blackboard.

"G... Ghost!" said Kanji.

"That's one of the students," remarked Yukiko. "Could that have been us if we died?"

"I still smell Aigis. She's around the back of the school and some demons are near her," informed Teddie. "Let's hurry."

At the rear of Gekkoukan High, Aigis' prone body laid on the ground motionlessly, her blue eyes staring blankly at the sky. A pair of demons, a Jack Frost and its pumpkin-headed brother, Pyro Jack, looked over the prone Aigis. "What is that?" asked Pyro Jack.

"It looks like a human," replied Jack Frost.

Pyro Jack looked over Aigis. "It can't be. I don't remember humans being made of metal and plastic. You must be mistaken."

"It sure looks like a human, but it isn't moving..."

"Maybe it's dead?" asked Pyro Jack.

"I'll check," replied Jack Frost. He grabbed a nearby twig and started to poke Aigis in the arm to see if she would react. She remained motionless. "Nothing, it's probably dead..."

Jack Frost continued to poke Aigis with the twig, eventually moving to her nose and eyes. Her hand suddenly shot up and grabbed the twig. "AAAAAAAAH!" screamed the Jack brothers as they turned and ran the other way.

Kanji's group arrived on the scene just in time to see the horrified Jack brothers fleeing the other way. "What was that all about?" asked Kanji.

"They seemed scared. I hope they didn't do anything to Aigis," remarked Yukiko.

Aigis suddenly sat up and faced the group. "Aigis, are you okay?" asked Naoki.

"I'm fine," replied the android. "Is everyone alright?"

"Yes, but we got separated during the Conception. Have you seen Fuuka or Koromaru anywhere?" asked Yukiko.

"They were swept away by a tsunami," replied Aigis. "I don't know where they are."

"If they were, they could be miles from here. We don't know where to look and don't have time to go off on a wild goose chase. We should get back to the others," said Kanji.

"Yes, I agree, but we don't know where they are," said Aigis.

"Not quite. Atsuro said that the Amala Drums would draw Inaba and Tatsumi Port Island to each other during the Conception. We're in luck. I scanned north and found Inaba there. It's quite a long walk, so we should be prepared," informed Teddie. "We can get supplies from inside the school. There's a store in the lobby."

The team entered Gekkoukan High and found the store in its ruined lobby. The store was largely intact, save for rubble which had fallen into the middle and onto the counters and display stands. Kanji grabbed a plastic bag from under the counter and quickly filled it up with sandwiches and canned drinks from the inactive fridge. Naoki helped out by shovelling food into another bag. They took a moment to consume some of the food for energy before beginning the trip to Inaba. When they were finished looting the store, each member carried a bag as they departed for the north.

The trip was long and tiring, especially under the hot sun, but they made steady progress towards Inaba. After few hours journey, they stopped near a small patch of trees to eat lunch. "I'll have to thank Atsuro when we get back," remarked Kanji after he chewed part of a ham sandwich. "If it weren't for his Amala Drums, who knows where we'd end up. At least this way, we can take a long walk back home."

"I hope we get back soon. I don't think I've ever walked this much in my life," said Yukiko, massaging her sore feet.

"Want me to carry you, Yuki darling?" asked Teddie.

"That's alright. I can manage," replied Yukiko.

The group noticed a cloud of dust travelling across in the distance. They came from dune buggies speeding across the vacant wastes. "I wonder where they're going in such a hurry?" asked Naoki, standing up for a better look.

"Be careful, those guys are marauders!" remarked Teddie.

"Marauders? What are they after?" asked Yukiko.

"Let me check," replied Teddie.

He scanned ahead of the marauders and discovered a crashed aeroplane. Its wings had been torn off and the vehicle had been bent in the middle along a rock. Parts of the aircraft had been scattered all over the ground. Inside, a single girl awoke to discover her unusual predicament. The attractive girl had reddish-brown hair tied into a pair of pigtails. She was covered by dust that had landed on her from the crash. She looked around but nobody else was in the plane except her. She was the sole survivor of the crash.

The woman picked herself up and fiddled with a nearby door. It popped open and she descended to the ground and looked around. "It's Rise! I found her!" announced Teddie.

"Really? Where?" asked Yukiko.

"There's a crashed aeroplane just to the west, just behind that barn," replied Teddie, pointing them out.

"Aren't the marauders going that way? What if they find her?" asked Naoki.

"We'd better hustle, double time!" said Kanji.

* * *

><p>The team made haste towards the crashed aeroplane. Unfortunately, Naoki's fears proved legitimate. The marauders, six men in studded leather clothing, had Rise surrounded against the side of the aeroplane. They had tied her arms behind her back and had ripped open her turtleneck top, leaving her skin and bra exposed. The leader of the marauders reached beneath her miniskirt and tore off her panties. He started to undo the zipper to his pants. Rise screamed for help, knowing what the men wanted to do.<p>

Just then, someone had pounced onto the leader, taking him to the ground. Kanji, the assailant, was red-faced from sheer fury and rage. He pummelled the leader, who was taken so off guard that he could barely stand. When he finally shoved Kanji away to get space, Kanji charged back in and planted a foot into his groin. The leader gasped and dropped to the ground, his hands cupping his family jewels. Kanji gave the leader another swift kick to the ribs just for his troubles.

"Fuck!" cursed the leader, still cupping his groin defencelessly on the ground.

"Oh Kanji!" cried Rise.

Nearby, Naoki had tackled another man. While that one was on all fours trying to get up, Naoki kicked him hard in the ribs, sending back to the ground. The other four men reached for weapons to fight off their attackers. Aigis dropped in and struck two from behind. They landed on all fours, dropping their weapons in the process. Aigis picked up both men and tossed them away with superhuman strength. Teddie sprayed cold, snowy air upon the last two men, who were encased in ice and immobilized as a result.

Yukiko quickly undid the cloth binding Rise and started to heal her of any bruises suffered from the rough treatment. "Are you okay?" asked Kanji. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine now, thanks," replied Rise.

The men quickly gathered themselves and scrambled for their dune buggies. They sped away as quickly as possible. "They won't be bothering us," remarked Teddie.

"What happened? Why is the world like this?" asked Rise.

"Long story. We'll tell you on the way back. Inaba's up north, so we're headed that way. I want to be far from here in case those guys show up again," replied Naoki.

Rise quickly grabbed her luggage and returned with the team to where they had lunch. From there, they continued onward to Inaba. Along the way, they talked about what had happened to each of them. Rise was flying on that plane to a concert in Naha, Okinawa. The night sky suddenly grew bright as though it was day time. Severe turbulence rocked the plane and it eventually crashed. While on the ground, the tremors continued to rock the plane. The ground seemed to be moving as well, taking the plane along with it to a new location.

"When everything stopped, I saw a bright flash of light. I saw a strange disco ball thingy which talked to me, telling me to discover myself. Then, I woke up and I was the only person left in the plane. I tried to leave and then those guys grabbed me. Then you came along and rescued me. I was so scared! Thank you so much!" she said, before bursting into tears of joy.

"We're glad you're alright Rise," said Teddie. "We missed you so much!"

"I did too," said Rise, calming down. "What happened to you and who's the blond girl?"

"She's Aigis," replied Kanji.

Rise looked at Aigis' arm. Part of it had been exposed due to damage, revealing a metal axle underneath. She also had other noticeably mechanical parts, like her shoulders and hips. Aigis noticed that Rise was staring at her mechanical parts. "I'm am an anti-Shadow weapon," she replied. "I was built by the Kirijo Group to terminate Shadows."

"Long story," said Naoki.

Naoki and the others proceeded to talk about everything that had happened since Rise left at the beginning of the school year. Rise was quite shocked at hearing the events that had happened, from the investigation of demon-related murders to the discovery of Matsumoto and efforts to stop him. The stakes for this year's case proved even higher than the previous year's murders. This was brutally illustrated by the aftermath of the Conception. However, there was hope, as the team had gained several new allies to help them resolve the crisis.

"You've met Aigis here. There's also Mitsuru Kirijo and Akihiko Sanada, both of whom were from the Gekkoukan group of Persona users," informed Kanji. "Sanada even became Dojima's new partner after Adachi got hauled to the slammer."

"Some new people got a Persona. I'm one of them," informed Naoki.

"Yeah, there's also Dojima, Nanako, and Ai Ebihara," informed Yukiko.

"Other people helped us too. Don't forget Saemon, Yuzu, Atsuro, and the others, especially Saemon. If it wasn't for his guidance, we might not have gotten as far as we did," said Kanji.

"Wow, so much has happened since I was here," remarked Rise.

After walking for several minutes, the group encountered a road leading north. "If we follow this road, it should take us to Inaba," informed Teddie.

They followed the road for a few more hours until they entered the southern districts of Inaba. The town had suffered quite a bit of damage from being put through the Conception. Several houses had collapsed from the tremors and tsunamis that resulted from the moving landmasses. All that remained of them were wooden and cement debris scattered randomly about. A siren suddenly blared out as police cars sped deeper into the city in response to a crime.

Kanji glanced into one of the cars, taking note of the driver. "Dojima was in one of those cars!"

"I saw Akihiko with him," informed Aigis.

"Where are they going?" asked Rise.

"At least they got through the Conception alright, which means the rest of their group should be okay," said Naoki. "Let's follow them!"

The group followed the sound of the sirens as they travelled through the city. Dojima and Sanada came across a group of hoodlums, or looters, who were holed up in a supermarket. Each man and woman wore a ski mask and carried a gun of some form with him or her. The terrified shoppers and the clerks had fled long ago, when the men and women starting shooting randomly and threateningly in the store. The robbers were now snatching goods from the shelves, shoving them into sacks to be taken back to their hideout.

Other officers had the store surrounded before the pair had reached the area. "You're surrounded! Come out with your hands in the air!"

"You'll never get us, coppers!" cried one of the looters.

That looter suddenly manifested a muscular, genie-like creature. He had red skin, horns on his head, and trail of flame for legs. "He's got a Persona!" said Dojima.

The genie spewed massive gout of flame from his hands. He torqued about, spreading flame all over the Inaba police force. Cars burst into flame while terrified officers ducked for cover or fled the area. The flame turned to Dojima and Sanada's car, which they hid behind for cover. When the flames ceased, the looters unloaded bullets on on the officers. Their shots pattered against the cars, shattering glass as they passed through windows. Some of the spent bullets landed on Dojima and Sanada.

Dojima peered out and let loose some rounds. He ducked down before the looters could return fire. The bullets zinged by overhead while others pattered his car. Sanada stood up and let loose a few rounds. The looters suddenly fired back and a bullet struck him in the head. Sanada fell back behind the car. Shocked, Dojima checked on his condition. The bullet had not penetrated his skull, likely due to protection from his Persona. However, he clearly dazed and disoriented from taking such a hard blow to the head.

"Will you be okay?" asked Dojima.

"Yeah, after my head clears," replied Sanada. "Ow..."

"If they're using Personas, I will too," announced Dojima.

He got up and summoned Hachiman. Dojima expelled massive amounts of lightning upon the looters. Two looters got struck, which put them comatose on the ground. The looter with the genie summoned his Persona and had him spew fire at Dojima. The detective covered himself as he ducked behind the car for cover. "Dad, that Persona is Efreet. He healed by fire but is very vulnerable to ice. Put him on ice!"

"Thanks Nanako," replied Dojima. "Now, if I could just get an opening."

At that moment, a motorcycle burst onto the scene. It made a sudden turn just shy of hitting the looters, kicking up a massive wave of air in its wake. The wind hurled Efreet's master to the ground along with a few of his allies. The biker, Hell Biker, jammed on the accelerator to escape his enemies retaliatory fire. The other looters tried to shoot him, but he was moving far too fast to score a clean hit on. Dojima suddenly got up and unleashed lightning upon the looters. The electricity rendered the last of them comatose, enough for him to secure the area.

Down the street, Hell Biker turned around and pulled up to Dojima. "Naoki? Am I glad to see you," said Dojima.

The others came running down the street, following Naoki who had left them behind to assist Dojima. Yukiko found Sanada on the ground and quickly applied some Dia magic. The white light cleared Sanada's head, returning him to lucidity. "Dojima, are the others here?" asked Kanji.

"Yeah, when I woke up, I was near Nanako and Sanada here," replied Dojima. "Naoto and the rest of our team are out patrolling another part of town. Thanks to Atsuro's Amala Drums, we all made it safely."

"What about Saemon's team?" asked Aigis.

"Same thing, we bumped into them soon after we woke up. Sumaru Castle had been moved closer to Inaba. It's just to the northeast, past the suburbs near the train tracks. They're repairing the castle and making it into our new headquarters. Go meet them, I'm sure they'll be glad to see you. We'll take care of the mess here."

* * *

><p>Inside the basement of Sumaru Castle, there was a machine consisting of a diagnostic and control computer connected to a trio of emitters on the roof. Beneath these emitters was a circular marker for placing an object. In the leftmost marker was Dakini, a Buddhist female demon with yellow skin who carried a pair of curved swords. In the rightmost one was a Mothman, a demon which resembled a biped moth. Yuzu entered commands into the computer switch, which caused the machine to light up.<p>

The two demons were broken into specks of blackness and sucked into the machine. The third emitter lit up and a new demon appeared, standing in the middle of the central marker. This demon was a purple-skinned man like a Hindu deity, having three faces and wearing an Indian crown of reddish bronze. The demon was barefooted and had three pairs of arms. He carried a scimitar-like sword in each hand and wore forearm and shin guards which matched his crown.

"I am Mahakala, the Dharma Protector," announced the demon. "My blades shall protect you now. Let my fury crush your foes!"

"Nice!" remarked Saemon after seeing the product of Yuzu's fusion. "He looks very powerful."

"How's yours coming along?" asked Yuzu.

"Quite well," said Saemon, watching his demons fuse.

A new demon appeared in the empty space of the marker. This creature was merely a grouping of white, iridescent orbs. It hovered above the marker and seemed quite ethereal. "I am Yog-Sothoth, the Beyond One, and the Opener of the Way. King of Bel, I grant you my power. Use it well."

"Hey, that's the demon you fought when you became the demon lord," said Yuzu.

"Saemon, Yoohoo!" cried Atsuro as he came into the room, the Cathedral of Shadows.

"It's Yuzu! Yuzu!" said Yuzu in retort.

"Come quick, the others have returned!" said Atsuro.

"Really? I gotta see this!" said Saemon.

As he ran out of the room, he remembered that he had left Yog-Sothoth in the fusion machine. He quickly dismissed him and went to join Atsuro. The three ascended to the main floor, where they saw Kanji's group, alive, safe, and sound. However, there appeared to be a few members missing, notably Fuuka and Koromaru. Also, they had gained a new friend in Rise Kujikawa, who they had not yet become acquainted with. All three of them were quite relieved to see their friends safe and sound.

"What happened to Fuuka and Koromaru?" asked Atsuro.

"They were washed away by a tsunami. I don't know where they are now," replied Aigis.

"At least we know you guys are all safe. Who's our new friend?" asked Saemon.

"I'm Rise Kujikawa," replied Rise.

"Ah, so you're the Rise Kujikawa I've heard so much about. Nice to meet you, I'm Saemon Ichihara. We all normally meet here, but the others are out on patrol."

"We know, we met Dojima before we came here," said Rise.

"That's good. Everyone's safe and sound. I'm Yuzu Tanikawa, nice to meet you."

"I'm Atsuro Kihara."

"Now that everyone's reunited we'll have to organize a meeting. Let's do that tomorrow, after breakfast," said Saemon.

"Yeah, you must be tired. You should rest," said Yuzu.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	18. Judge 2: Rise of the Reasons - Oneness

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 2: Rise of the Reasons - Oneness **

2 Days After Conception

As the darkness of sleep fell on Naoto, she found herself seated on a chair in the midst of a strange but familiar office. At the desk in front of her was Igor, the impish old man who had helped so often on her journey. Beside him was Margaret, always ready to assist. "Welcome to the Velvet Room," said Igor. "You had quite a harrowing experience these last few days. Your body is asleep in the other world, but I have summoned your mind here, to the Velvet Room. Tell me, have you come any closer to completing your journey?"

"I don't know," replied Naoto.

"I see," said Igor. "Your journey is not merely one to save the world. It is also one of self discovery, to find out who you are, and has taken you beyond the end of the old world. Soon, you will make decisions that will alter the fate of yourself and everyone around you. There is no right or wrong way to proceed, but whatever choices you make, you must accept the consequences, whatever they may be."

"I understand," replied Naoto.

"Good," said Igor. "I will always be around to help you on journey. Farewell."

As the confines of the Velvet Room vanished into the mists of unconsciousness, a bright light filtered into Naoto's eyes. When she woke up, she found herself staring at the ceiling of a wooden room. She wondered if the Conception was a dream and thought back to what happened earlier. When she took a good look, she found herself within a wooden bedroom. From the window, the world curved upwards on the horizon. She was in the Vortex World.

She looked around and found herself in a futon in a wooden room lit by incandescent light bulbs. Judging from the design of the wooden room, she was in Sumaru Castle, which Saemon's team had occupied in preparation to invade Mt. Iwato. A knocking came at the nearby screen door. "Naoto, are you awake?" asked the person outside, whose voice she recognized as belonging to Chie. "Everyone's downstairs. Get dressed and come down."

"Yeah, I'm coming," she replied, proceeding downstairs.

Sumaru Castle's dining room had been converted into a mess hall for Fushimi's unit. Aromatic scents filled the air, drifting out from the kitchen in the back. Several soldiers were already seated at various tables, eating their breakfast for the day. Naoto's friends were seated at a table in the corner furthest from the kitchen, eating a Western-style breakfast. Saemon chewed on a fried egg while Kanji put bacon into his mouth. Yukiko drank from a glass of milk.

"I saved you a seat," said Yukiko, pointing to her right at an open area between her and Naoki.

"Okay, I'll be back with my meal," replied Naoto, who fetched her breakfast from the kitchen and quickly squeezed in between Yukiko and Naoki.

After everyone had an enjoyable meal, Saemon began by describing the current situation. The Survivor team had failed to stop Matsumoto from beginning the Conception. Fuuka and Koromaru were lost, as was the previous world was gone, replaced by the Vortex World. As a result, the world had been chopped up and reassembled into its strange, current form. The previous social order had broken down and numerous criminal gangs arose to fill the gap. Most gangs wandered the wastes, eking out a living by raiding the few remaining oases of civilization, such as Inaba.

"Yeah, we had the 'joy' of bumping into one of them," remarked Kanji.

"I'm glad you came when you did. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there!" said Rise, starting to cry.

"Don't worry, you're safe now. Just put that behind you," said Naoki.

Rise started to dry up her tears. "Yeah, all of us should be more careful," warned Kanji. "We should avoid being alone in a non-public place, especially the girls. There are a lot of sick people out there."

"Some of them are Persona users like us. We had to deal with many of them before you came back," informed Naoto. "Dojima, Sanada, and the rest of the police force are doing their best, but the gangs don't care who they hurt."

Not only were there gangs wandering the wastes, there were supernatural entities as well. They included demons, Shadows, lost souls, and a new type, the Manikins. While the Shadows were invariably hostile, many lost souls, Manikins, and even demons proved the opposite. They behaved much like ordinary people. In the lost souls' case, they were once normal people before dying in the Conception. In the case of the Manikins, they were the souls of people who gave life to the earth. Only a series of uncontrollable spasms gave away their true nature.

"Some of the people who robbed the grocery store yesterday were Manikins," informed Nanako.

"Some Yaksini applied to work at my inn," informed Yukiko.

"Did you hire them?" asked Chie.

"Yeah, my parents thought it was a good idea to have demons around in case of trouble. We could use the workers since more demons are asking to stay at the inn. Although, I think they give the wrong impression to to our customers," replied Yukiko.

"What's wrong with them?" asked Yosuke.

"Yaksini like to go around topless," replied Yuzu. Yosuke still seemed puzzled. "Atsuro has a Yaksini for a demon partner."

Teddie suddenly recalled memories of Atsuro's Yaksini fighting against Shadows and demons. "Ooh, so they aren't afraid to 'bear' it all. You have to introduce me to them sometime," said Teddie.

"A lot of guys will want to visit, I can tell you that," remarked Yosuke.

"So, what's our next move?" asked Mitsuru. "Since we're in this mess, shouldn't we make a Reason and try to reach Kagutsuchi?"

"Yeah," replied Saemon. "According to the Miroku Prophecy, it states that 'A shard of creation's light illuminates the path and the blood of the womb opens the way.'"

In order to create the next world, one of the things that needed to be done was the development of a Reason. However, that was not the only thing that was needed. The Reason bearer also needed an item that once belonged to Kagutsuchi in order to summon the tower that led to him. This tower was sealed by a door that could only be opened with a key made out of Magatsuhi. This key must be forged by a demon who sponsored the Reason bearer. Thus, the Reason bearer had to acquire lots of Magatsuhi and gain a good following, particularly with demons.

"Only certain people are eligible to create a Reason. That means that neither I, nor any of my friends, can do so," informed Saemon.

"Why not?" asked Mitsuru.

"We're not a part of this world's cycle of destruction and rebirth," replied Saemon. "Also, I am a demon and the Great Will has barred demons from establishing a Reason."

"So only humans from this world can create a Reason?" asked Mitsuru.

"Yes, and only living humans," replied Saemon. "The Manikin and lost souls aren't eligible either."

"So, in order to end this situation, we need a Reason, which can only be made by one of us. We also need something from the sun, and Magatsuhi... Okay," said Kanji. "Where can we find these things?"

"For the shard of Kagutsuchi, I don't know," admitted Saemon. "It's more likely to show up once Reason bearers come into existence. The Magatsuhi can be found in any place or thing which had significance before the Conception. Usually, this means a landmark or monument of some kind. We can also use Amala Drums to harvest Magatsuhi from the network, but this is slow. Also, with no electricity, we need them to power the town, so that limits their output."

"So what kind of Reason can we make?" asked Chie.

"Anything you want, as long you believe in it," replied Saemon.

"Since we don't have a Reason and don't know where the Shard of Kagutsuchi is, do we know anywhere that might have Magatsuhi?" asked Naoto.

"Not yet," replied Atsuro. "Fushimi is sending scouts to look for monuments in nearby towns. When he finds one, we'll let you know."

* * *

><p>7 Days after Conception<p>

Over the week, the Survivors and the Investigation Team adjusted to life in the Vortex World. They patrolled the town of Inaba regularly, helping both the police and Fushimi's men to maintain order and repel marauding gangs. Fushimi's scouts continued to search the nearby towns for monuments. Most of the towns were very small and lacked resembling a monument from the pre-Conception world. Despite a lack of initial results, Fushimi's scouts eventually found what they were looking for.

The massed team of Survivors, Investigation Team, and their military escorts stopped near a large town. The town was a mishmash of several buildings from different countries in the pre-Conception world. Its shape and design could only be described as haphazard. There were small cracked seams on the ground where the land had been separated and scrunched back together by the Conception. The signs of the city were written in various languages from Arabic to English and even Japanese. This city was called Pyramid City due to the Giza Pyramids, which stood on a sandy plateau at its edge.

The team occupied the local inn, a wooden building straight out of the Wild West next door to an Irish pub. "This is where we split up," informed Mitsuru.

"I'm going with Mitsuru, Saemon, and Aigis into the pyramids," informed Atsuro. "Teddie, Chie, Yosuke, Naoki, Kanji, and Yuzu, will also come to help us out. The rest of you should ask around town for information on other landmarks."

Atsuro and Mitsuru led the other group deeper into the city, towards the pyramids. Naoto's group split up to explore the city. It was largely run by the few human survivors of the Conception and the Manikins. A few souls and demons rounded out the population, which seemed surprisingly peaceful despite such differences. Naoto eventually encountered a pair of gossiping demons. The first was an attractive humanoid demoness with auburn hair. The other was a large, rotund blue-skinned creature wearing only a pelt of fur.

"Did you see Taishang Laojun today?" asked the demoness, a Lilim.

"Yeah, he told me that he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough. After thinking about it, maybe I've been working too hard lately. I should spend more time with my family," replied the other demon, a troll.

Naoto decided to enquire about Laojun. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find Taishang Laojun?"

"Of course," replied the Lilim. "You can find him up north at China Town in the temple."

"Okay, thank you very much," replied Naoto, who then proceeded to go that very direction.

Naoto eventually came to the China Town, passing through a large reddish arch with a belled, shingled roof. Underneath the roof was a sign, written in both Chinese and English, which labelled China Town and welcomed guests to it. Two blocks into the area, she came upon a granite town square where demons milled about. At the northern part of the square was a simple red temple of Chinese design. The temple was clean and very well kept. A second Lilim left the temple, likely having received guidance from Taishang Laojun.

When Naoto entered, the scent of burning incense filled her nostrils. A wizened Chinese man sat on a cushion at the opposite end of the room. The man had white hair and a matching beard. He wore a set of red robes with golden circular marks on it. There was a second cushion just before the man, with a small table separating the two. "Come in," offered the man.

"Are you Taishang Laojun?" asked Naoto.

"Yes, but that is one name of many. What may I do for you?"

Naoto told Laojun about the Conception and how she had to create a Reason to restore the old world. "So you intend to take part in creation?" asked Laojun.

"Yes, we need to restore the lives lost from the Conception. We also can't let Matsumoto get what he wants after all that he has done."

"To bear a Reason is to lead the world on a new path. A leader is best when people barely know that he exists, but at his worst when they despise him. Fail to honour people, and they will fail to honour you in turn," said Laojun.

"If people knew what Matsumoto had done to bring the Conception, I don't doubt many would despise him," said Naoto. "No matter what Reason he intends to champion, the things he has done can't possibly justify it."

"You do not have to be like him. If you wish to be a good leader, your followers will fulfil your goals, yet think they did it themselves," said Laojun.

"I see, but what Reason should I champion?" asked Naoto. "I want something everybody can agree with and..."

"You will never make a Reason that everyone will completely agree with," replied Laojun. "You must let go of that notion, and only by letting go can you begin to form and fulfil your Reason."

At that moment, Naoto heard a loud booming sound coming from outside of the temple. When she and Laojun ran out to see what the commotion was about, they saw a plume of smoke coming from the distance. It originated from the pyramids, further to the north and west of China Town. "Sorry, I have to go," said Naoto, running off to help her friends.

As she made haste to the pyramids, her friends joined her one by one as they ran to investigate the source of the smoke. The group came upon the area just outside of the pyramid, where Teddie's group was locked in battle with members of Matsumoto's gang, including Pabelsag and Matsumoto himself. Yuzu had called in Suzaku, the Vermillion Bird. Suzaku swooped down on the scorpion man and raked his flaming talons raked across the side of Pabelsag's head, staggering him momentarily.

Naoto's gun rang out, its bullets catching Matsumoto in the back. Matsumoto merely recoiled from the bullets, only lightly bruised from taking shots in the back. Both sides stopped fighting to regroup and stare down each other. "Step aside!" demanded Matsumoto.

"We know why you're here," said Naoto. "You want the Magatsuhi from the pyramid. There's no way you will be getting past us."

"Don't we all want Magatsuhi?" he asked rhetorically. "I have a Reason to support. Don't you have one too?" Naoto remained silent. "I see. Then your presence here is useless. You have no reason to be here."

"Have you forgotten what you've done? Do you honestly think we'd let you waltz in there and take what you want?" asked Kanji.

"Is this power worth all the suffering you've caused?" asked Yukiko.

"You think I want power?" asked Matsumoto. "Far from it... Our world has become corrupt. Crime, hatred, and destruction run rampant, and the people have lost their way. I will give them a new purpose. We will become cogs in the machine that is this universe. We will serve the universe and when we finish our duties, we shall receive a repose. Thus, we humans will become beacons to light the world. Dim or bright, it does not matter. In the end, all become one with the universe. This is my Reason, the Reason of Oneness."

"We'd all be nothing more than drones, robots!" said Naoki. "That's no way to live. We might as well be dead!"

"I never expected any of you to understand," admitted Matsumoto. "Nevertheless, many demons and people stand behind me, in Silent Unity with my Reason. Since you were gracious enough to hear me out, I will let you take this cache of Magatsuhi. There are plenty of others out there, waiting for my followers. If you should change your mind, I would be glad to take you in." Having said his peace, Matsumoto called on his troops to retreat.

* * *

><p>After returning to Sumaru Castle with full Amala Drums in hand, the Survivors and Investigation Team scheduled a new meeting. "We're in a very perilous situation," said Naoto. "Matsumoto has already created his Reason, Oneness, and has started to search for Magatsuhi."<p>

"Matsumoto knew what he was getting into when he started all this," said Chie. "We're stuck because we don't know what we want. Err... Not to be mean or anything."

"No, you're right," said Mitsuru. "Even if we can get Magatsuhi, what good will it do us if we can't back it with a Reason?"

"Hmm, maybe I should tell you about the Demifiend's friends and the Reasons they championed," remarked Saemon. "Perhaps that might give you food for thought."

"Yeah, didn't you say that the Demifiend had killed his friends?" asked Chie.

"Yeah, I did," replied Saemon.

The first of the Demifiend's old friends was Isamu Nitta. He was the creator of the Reason of Musubi, which espoused solitude. Were his Reason to pass, everyone would be given their own world to live in and shape as they saw fit. No one else would be able to interfere in any way. The Demifiend's other friend was Chiaki Tachibana. Her Reason was Yosuga, which valued power above all else and espoused the rule of the strong. The weak would be purged or enslaved under her Reason.

"Isamu must have been very lonely. I don't think I could live without my dad or any friends," remarked Nanako. "That Chiaki girl sounds like she was very full of herself. She must have hurt a lot of people around her."

"You're quite perceptive," remarked Akihiko. "I got the same impression."

"I don't think these are things any of us can support," said Naoto. "Were there any other Reason bearers besides them?"

"Yeah, there was one other," said Saemon. "His name was Hikawa and he championed the Reason of Shijima. This Reason espoused a world without any individuality. Everyone would have inner peace and be one with God. As a unit, the people would serve as a part of the universe."

"That sounds like what Matsumoto wants," remarked Naoto.

"Hikawa was also the one who caused the Conception in his world," informed Saemon.

"So, Matsumoto is our 'Hikawa,'" remarked Chie.

"Yep," replied Saemon. "Moving along, did anyone find anything from talking with the people of Pyramid City?"

"Yeah," replied Midori. "They told me that the Taj Mahal was far to the southeast of Inaba. We might be able find more Magatsuhi there."

* * *

><p>9 Days After Conception<p>

Upon learning of the Taj Mahal, Fushimi's men began scouting the southeastern region more heavily. They eventually discovered a great white structure, beyond the area held by Inaba's protectors. It was a large palace with a Middle Eastern and Indian design, having an onion-shaped dome on its central building. There were four towers some distance away from the corners of the main building, but the northeastern one had collapsed. Numerous cracks and fissures were on the walls, likely the result of tremors from the Conception.

Suzaku and Yog-Sothoth soared over the desolate land of the Vortex World. Naoto looked across the rectangular pool which led towards the building. "That's it," said Naoto. "That's the Taj Mahal. It took quite a bit of damage from the earthquakes, but I can still recognize it."

"Okay, let's go," said Saemon.

Suzaku and Yog-Sothoth let the demon hunters disembark at the nearest corner of the pool. As the demon hunters approached the Taj Mahal, they marvelled at the beauty of the building as they entered. "This place is gorgeous," remarked Yukiko.

Most of the inhabitants of the area were lost souls, many of whom wore turbans. They were likely Indians who had worked at this historical landmark. A few had a more Western appearance and clothing, likely tourists who were caught in the Taj Mahal during the Conception. The rest of the inhabitants were various demons who appeared to be non-hostile. They had likely moved in here, most likely to feed upon the Magatsuhi which permeated this location. So far, there was no evidence that someone else had visited the area to acquire Magatsuhi.

The demon hunters entered the central chamber of the Taj Mahal. There, they saw eight screens of marble forming an octagon around two sarcophagus-like monuments. The screens were see-through and had floral filigree designs handcrafted into them. Next to these monuments was a wooden trapdoor in the floor. When Atsuro opened it, he found a stone staircase leading deeper underground, likely where the Magatsuhi was kept. Judging from the appearance of the underground tunnels, it was likely a set of catacombs.

"Teddie, Rise, what do you see in there?" asked Saemon.

"These catacombs are much larger than the ones in the pyramids," replied Teddie. "The Magatsuhi is on the third basement, at the room furthest from the stairs."

"There are quite a few Shadows and demons lurking inside," informed Rise. "Be careful while you're in there."

"Alright, Naoto, take a team inside and start clearing the place out. I'll be heading in after you with my team," said Saemon. "Mitsuru, take a team of your own and make sure no one goes underground until we're done."

Naoto took Kanji, Naoki, and Yukiko with her to enter the underground catacombs. Teddie, acting as their support, remained behind within the building, scanning the catacombs for hostile entities. Mitsuru took Aigis, Midori, Yosuke, and Chie with her to patrol outside and prevent anyone from coming in to interfere. They left Rise behind as support. A few minutes later, Teddie reported that Naoto's group had encountered a group of Shadows. Saemon's group immediately descended the stairs to assist and flank the Shadows.

Outside, Mitsuru's team circled the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal. None of the demons and lost souls in the gardens seem interested in entering, so her team largely ignored them. A few minutes into the patrol, Yosuke noticed a tall humanoid demon approach the mausoleum. The demon had black hair, a bushy beard, and wore Greek garb and sandals. He also wore a lion's skin over his torso like armour. He was quite muscular and his skin was tanned from being in the sun so often. He could easily pass for a human if not for his massive height and the sheer aura of power he exuded.

Yosuke immediately intercepted this demon. "You can't go in there," said Yosuke. "Some people are investigating the mausoleum. Please go back."

"You aren't security," said the muscular man. "I need to check the tombs."

The muscle man's companion, a human woman, approached. The muscle man's companion was quite an attractive Japanese woman, a young brunette who wore silver stud earrings and a white choker adorned with a heart. She was armed with a bow and had a leather quiver on her back for storing her arrows. She wore a pink tank top, a white mini-skirt, and tall brown leather boots. The woman had a black mark on the inside of her left breast. Most of it had been covered up by the fabric of her top.

"Hercules, what's the problem?" asked the woman as she approached.

"This boy won't let me enter the tombs," remarked the muscle man.

"Just toss him out of the way. I don't have time to waste here," ordered the woman.

As Hercules reached to grab Yosuke, the teen responded by summoning his Persona, Susanoo. Hercules backed away, unsure of what was happening. Yosuke and Susanoo stared down Hercules, who refused to make the first move, unsure of his opponent's capabilities. Hercules raised his fists, as though preparing to box the Persona should it attack. Before either side could do anything, Mitsuru came into the area to investigate.

"What's going on here?" she asked. Both Yosuke, the woman, and Hercules turned to look at her. "Who are these people and..." At that moment, she saw the woman's face and did a double take. "Yukari?"

"Mitsuru?" asked Yukari. "It's been so long! I never expected to see you here. What have you been up to?"

"I'd ask you the same thing. Your friend was going to beat up Yosuke here," said Mitsuru. "Some of my friends are conducting important business in the mausoleum. He's standing guard out here so no one can bother them."

"So, does that mean you're looking for Magatsuhi?" asked Yukari. Mitsuru gave off an expression of shock, which Yukari instantly noticed. "I see..."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	19. Judge 3: RotR - Succession

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 3: Rise of the Reasons - Succession **

"I am looking for Magatsuhi too," said Yukari.

"Have you developed a Reason?" asked Mitsuru.

"Sort of," replied Yukari.

Before Yukari could elaborate, Naoto's group had emerged from the Taj Mahal's mausoleum. They appeared to have been successful in gathering the Magatsuhi. When they noticed Yukari and Hercules with Mitsuru and Yosuke, they moved closer to investigate. In particular, Saemon was drawn to the black, tattoo-like mark on Yukari's breast. "Is that an Atma brand?" he asked.

"Atma brand?" asked Mitsuru, having heard his utterance.

Yukari herself did a double take upon seeing Saemon. He was a dead ringer for Minato Arisato, the one she loved. She was speechless for a brief moment, but quickly realized he could not be Minato. She regained her composure enough to speak. "This was given to me by Lucifer and Baal Zebul," replied Yukari.

* * *

><p>1 Day after Conception<p>

A bright light, from a single blue-white sun, filled the mind of Yukari, as though gazing upon her and introducing her to the new world. "You who are about to enter my world, show me what you hold in your heart," the sun demanded, through a disembodied, echoing voice. He paused momentarily, as though waiting for his reply. "You have nary a hint of a Reason. If you are to shape this world, this can not be. Go, and find yourself."

When the strange dream was over, the light of the sun filtered into Yukari's eyes. The brightness hurt them greatly and she bolted upright and covered her face. When she looked around, she found herself in the middle of a barren wasteland. Near her were the ruins of a familiar house. Just moments ago, she was visiting her estranged mother. After her time at Gekkoukan High with Minato, Yukari began to mend her relationship with her mother. They were making great progress, talking to each other about their concerns, and generally taking time to visit each other.

Apparently, it was all for nothing. Her mother went out to purchase some groceries while Yukari watched the house. Then, the tremors occurred, followed by the apocalyptic reshaping of the Earth. They were separated and Yukari had no idea where her mother had been taken, or if she had survived at all. She was alone, in the middle of a barren wasteland, near the ruins of her mother's home. She picked herself off the ground and looked around carefully. In the distance, the horizon curved up, as though she was on the interior of a ball.

In the distance, she saw what looked like a humanoid figure clad in green, surrounded by several buildings. Suspecting civilization, she travelled in that direction. As she went forward, the heat of the sun was brutal. She found a tree and took a rest in its shade. Since the sun was almost completely above her head, the Shadow was small and close to the tree. She felt dryness in her throat and the pangs of hunger. She needed food and drink soon, and fortunately, she was close to town.

Now closer to the figure, she could see that she was actually the Statue of Liberty, a monument from New York City in the United States. The buildings nearby had a haphazard placement and came from all corners of the former world. A few survivors resided here, trying to eek out a living in this harsh world. Like the buildings, they came from nearly every corner of the old world. Amongst them were other strange beings which looked like humans, yet periodically broke out in odd spasms. They had an odd, unnatural appearance to them, as though they were facsimiles designed to imitate humans.

Some of the inhabitants were ghosts, likely of people who once lived in the parts which made up this patchwork town. They likely had perished, but could not find rest, likely because of the supernatural nature of the apocalypse. The last inhabitants were nothing like humans, and were extremely varied. Many of them resembled creatures from myth and religion. A few even looked like true demons, yet they did not appear to be hostile to anyone.

"Are you okay?" asked one of the demons, a unicorn, noticing Yukari's dishevelled appearance.

"I'm tired, hungry, and thirsty, yeah I'm feelin' good," Yukari replied sarcastically.

Concerned, one of the human bystanders came up to her. "I have an unopened can of cola and an uneaten slice of pizza on my table. Help yourself," offered the bystander, a Caucasian man. He was as average as one can be, wearing sandals, a straw hat, khaki shorts, and a white T-shirt. He looked like he had been on vacation at a tropical resort before being caught up by the apocalypse. He was quite a Good Samaritan to have offered her food and drink like that.

"Thanks," replied Yukari, as she popped the can open and drank. She let out a sigh of relief as she wiped her mouth clean. "Where am I? What happened?"

"This is Liberty Town," replied the unicorn. "Its name comes from that statue."

The Good Samaritan told her about the Conception, as he had learned of it from the demons. Though he did not know who they were, a group of people had fulfilled the prophecy foretold by an ancient text called the "Miroku Scriptures." It resulted in the destruction of the world, ripping it apart and reassembling it to its current form, the Vortex World. Hovering high above the land was Kagutsuchi, an avatar of God, who awaited one who would come forward with a Reason. Kagutsuchi would then recreate the new world under the specifications of this Reason.

"Just like the Fall," remarked Yukari.

"Hmm?" asked the Samaritan.

"Oh nothing, just thinking to myself," she replied.

"Could you introduce yourself?" asked the unicorn.

"Sure, I'm Yukari Takeba," she replied and told the Samaritan and the unicorn further details about herself.

"I see, so you're from Japan," replied the Samaritan.

"Yeah, I don't know what to do now," said Yukari.

"Don't worry. The people here are very generous. They took me in and gave me a place to stay. You can claim one of the empty houses as your own. Stay as long as you need," said the Samaritan.

* * *

><p>3 Days after Conception<p>

Yukari woke up in bed in one of the ruined houses that made up Liberty Town. The last few days were like a nightmare, except one she could not wake up from. Thanks to the Conception, the previous world had been destroyed. There was nothing anyone could do to fix the old world. The only way was to create a new one, by bringing a Reason to Kagutsuchi. As she left her dilapidated wooden shack, she came across an interesting flier posted on a wooden fence. It depicted male and female religious figures dressed in black and red robes.

According to the fliers, those figures were members of the Cult of Gaia. Apparently, it was a religious and occult movement which worshipped demons, such as Lucifer, and non-Abrahamic deities who did not support God. The Gaians were coming to Liberty Town to speak about the Conception, preach the ideology of Chaos, and offer support to the community. Normally, Yukari would not be interested in some newfangled cult or religion. However, they had information about the Conception and she wanted it.

Since the Gaians were visiting later in the day, she decided to spend some time familiarizing herself with Liberty Town before heading to the meeting hall. When the time came, she took a seat in the middle of several rows of chairs. The regal Gaian preacher began by talking about the nature of the universe. Her universe was known as the Amala universe, home to countless worlds, many of them similar to her own. Kagutsuchi rose and fell in each of the worlds, bringing the Conception everywhere he appeared. Though this system, the Great Will of the universe, God, intended to refine all worlds into His idea of perfection.

"A world is created, populated by mankind, and destroyed. Over and over again, the cycle repeats, until the world meets the Great Will's standards," said the preacher. "This system is nothing more than a trap which mankind can not escape from. Lucifer opposed this system, and so rebelled against God. 'To toy with life, to create and destroy, that is to be God,' Lucifer told his followers. So, God cursed Lucifer and all who followed him, casting them to harsh darkness of the universe. Yet, Lucifer and his followers saw this as a blessing, for it was the way to true freedom."

"Freedom..." Yukari said to herself mentally.

"If you seek freedom, if you wish to be free of the Conception's cycles, journey to the Amala Abyss and meet Lord Beelzebub," said the preacher. "It is east of here, within a great Black Pyramid."

Yukari could not agree with the preacher, and Lucifer, any more than she already did. It didn't matter whether people wanted death or not. It didn't matter if the Fall could be halted, Erebus put down, and Nyx contained. God's will trumped them all, and God's word was law. Even if she were to bring a Reason to Kagutsuchi, it would only perpetuate the Conception system. Now, she understood that the Conception system essentially made Minato's sacrifice all in vain. It was something she just could not accept. It had to be ended.

4 Days after Conception

So, Yukari made the journey across the barren wastes to the Black Pyramid, which contained the entrance to the Amala Abyss. As she travelled across the wastes, armed with only a bow and basic provisions, she thought back to all that had led her to this point. She relished the joyous times with SEES and her growing feelings and love for Minato. He was there for her, at the beach in Yakushima, and all those other times. She felt pain from the loss of friends like Shinjiro, her father, and Minato's sacrifice to seal Nyx.

Her thoughts turned to the future, about how she could eliminate the Conception system. No one else should have to go through she did. One Fall caused more than enough pain and suffering. Billions or more across the universe was too much. What if her Reason could end that? What if it could force Kagutsuchi out of this world, never to return to cause another Conception? Nyx and beings like her could be easily dealt with, by provisions which prevented their formation or appearance in the world. All these questions and possibilities floated through her mind as she pondered the nature of the Conception.

After seemingly hours of travel, Yukari could see the Black Pyramid in the distance. A small settlement had grown up around the pyramid, which became the central, primary structure of the town. Many of its citizens were demons, but a lot were human too, many of which were Gaian Cultists. As she went into the pyramid, she was greeted by several demons which resembled starfish. They were strange creatures who had a single eye which stared forward vacantly.

"You wish to see Lord Beelzebub, I presume?" asked the demon, a Decarabia.

"Of course," replied Yukari. "If he wants to end the Conception system, I'm here to help."

"Very well, this way please," said the Decarabia.

The Decarabia led Yukari deeper into the pyramid, past several corridors lit by what appeared to be circuitry running along the wall. A red substance ran though this circuitry, giving the structure's interior an eerie red glow. The pyramid was crawling with demons, who acted as guards and staff for the pyramid. She eventually reached a vacant room, where the Decarabia directed her to wait. Dots of redness, like blood droplets suspended in the air, suddenly filled the room as it took on a darker appearance. When the Decarabia brought her out, she was in a very different location.

A pathway of stone extended forward across a vast black void. Several of the red dots surrounded the pathway, floating about randomly in the sea of darkness. Yukari felt a sense of supernatural power and a flood of emotions permeating the area. She passed through an archway into a spherical room at the end of the path. Inside was a single demon who resembled a blue-skinned "wild man," a tribal chief clad in a tiger skin. He had flowing, curly black hair, pointed ears, and burning red eyes. The demon carried a sceptre crafted from the spinal cord and skull of a dead human.

"So, this is our new recruit. Very well, leave us, Decarabia," commanded Baal Zebul. "Welcome young woman. I hope you didn't find my accommodations too off putting?"

"It's not something I'm used to, but I'm sure I'll manage," replied Yukari.

"Of course. I am Beelzebub, Lord of the Flies and the right hand of Lord Lucifer. In this form, you may call me Baal Zebul. I can see that you're no ordinary woman. You possess a great power, the same one my enemies had used against me."

Baal Zebul looked at his sceptre. A spirit appeared on the tip, silently pleading with Yukari, as though to warn her not to go forward with her current course of action. The spirit was that of Minato Arisato! "That's Minato! How did you get him?" asked Yukari.

"I found this brave soul guarding the way to a being known as Nyx. I removed him as he was blocking my way," replied Baal Zebul.

"Removed him? Why?"

"I wanted to destroy Nyx," replied Baal Zebul.

"Destroy Nyx?" asked Yukari. "You actually did that?"

"Of course," replied Baal Zebul. "In order to end the Conception system once and for all, Kagutsuchi must be destroyed. In order to reach him, it is necessary that a Conception take place first. We learned of a man who wished to do so, begin the Conception. His name was Hiroshi Matsumoto, a former member of the Kirijo Group."

"Yeah, I know about the Kirijo Group," replied Yukari.

"Matsumoto had acquired a document called the Miroku Scripture, which foretold the coming of the Conception. One of the signs was the destruction of Nyx."

"So you helped Matsumoto begin the Conception? To destroy Kagutsuchi?" asked Yukari.

"Indeed," replied Baal Zebul. "Even if I had not stepped in, Matsumoto would have found a way to destroy her eventually. He had demonic assistance. He had also eliminated another being, Erebus, before I had arrived on the scene."

Yukari was speechless. Now that both Erebus and Nyx were gone, Minato's sacrifice and vigil were not necessary anymore. That still left the question of the Conception. Even without Nyx to end all life, Kagutsuchi could still do the same thing. Even if a Reason became established, it would only be temporary, until it was time for the next Conception. A question lingered in Yukari's mind. "If Kagutsuchi were to be destroyed, what would happen afterwards?"

"It would mean the ultimate destruction of each and every world," replied Baal Zebul. "The flow of time would cease. The final battle between the demons and God would begin."

Yukari was stunned. While destroying Kagutsuchi would end the Conception system, it would also mark the beginning of Armageddon. That wasn't just the end of her world, but the end of all reality as everyone knew it. This was not what she wanted. "Is there no way around it?" she asked.

"None that we know of," replied Baal Zebul.

"There has to be another way. If we can't destroy Kagutsuchi, then can't we replace him?" asked Yukari.

Yukari's question seemed to pierce through Baal Zebul, for he was rendered speechless. None among mortals or demon-kind had ever thought of removing Kagutsuchi and installing a new world controller. Nearly every mortal involved in a previous Conception had opted to establish a Reason. Those who didn't usually opted to bring back their old world, unwilling to let go of it due to strong ties. The only being who had fully thrown his support behind Lucifer was the Demifiend.

Now, before him stood a mortal who had thought of a new way to resolve the demons' dilemma. In fact, it was looking like that would become her very Reason. "So you wish to replace Kagutsuchi?" asked Baal Zebul, finally regaining his composure.

"Why not?" asked Yukari. "It might be only for this world, but there must be someone out there who could replace him. He could bring back the old world and let it continue, but this Conception would be the last. He would let humans go about with their lives as they saw fit."

"I see," said Baal Zebul. "Perhaps your idea may have merit. I must convene with Lord Lucifer. In the meantime, please stay here as my guest. The Decarabia will show you to your room."

* * *

><p>5 Days After Conception<p>

Decarabia led Yukari back into the presence of Baal Zebul. "I have finished meeting with Lord Lucifer and I have good news. My master is interested in taking up the cause of your Reason. He agrees with your assessment and believes that humanity should be free to make their choices and mistakes. If you name Lucifer as the world controller, he will prevent future Conceptions in your world. In exchange, he will provide you with the support of his forces and a special gift. Do you accept?"

"Yes," replied Yukari.

"Good," replied Baal Zebul. "From today onwards, the demons will follow your Reason. Take Lord Lucifer's gift to seal the deal."

Baal Zebul produced a syringe filled with a blood red liquid. Though darker than it, the liquid resembled the substance which travelled through the circuitry in the Amala Abyss. "What is that?" asked Yukari.

"This is a syringe filled with the Atma virus," replied Baal Zebul. "This unique virus grants its host a special power."

"What kind of power?" asked Yukari.

"It's similar to the one you have already," replied Baal Zebul. "With it, you can take on the form of a demon, while still remaining fundamentally human. Your new demonic form is called an 'Atma Avatar.'"

"What kind of demon will I turn into?" asked Yukari.

"It will be something that reflects your personality and nature. I have no idea what it might be," replied Baal Zebul. "Now, I will administer the shot. This may hurt a little, so please bear with me."

Baal Zebul dabbed a cotton ball into rubbing alcohol and washed Yukari's arm with it. He pricked Yukari's arm and injected the virus into her blood. Instantly, her skin became covered by red veins. She felt like her body was on fire screamed in agony. Her vision started to blur, as did her memory of the event. Her body transformed into that of another woman, naked, dark-skinned, and dark-haired. She fell to the floor and all was dark.

Some time later, the sun's rays filtered into the room and seeped into her eyes. A vision of the syringe flashed through her mind, hovering close to her eye. Her eyes shot open and she bolted upright in a cold sweat. She immediately ran to a mirror and felt her face. Everything was where it should be. There were no wounds and no blood. There was nothing to suggest she had been pricked. However, her eyes were noticeably whiter than before, still human, yet not at the same time.

She noticed a strange black mark on the inside of her cleavage, just on the side of her left breast. It was mostly covered by her tank top and appeared to extend further down her breast. She removed her tank top and moved her breast aside to expose the mark in the mirror. The mark on her breast was a black tattoo, depicting the face of an attractive African woman. She wore a headdress which had several protrusions, almost like the appearance of the sun. It made her appear to be a woman of importance, possibly a priestess.

A knocking came from the door. "Lord Beelzebub wishes to see you. Do not dally," said someone from the other side. Yukari recognized the voice as Decarabia's.

Yukari threw on her top and made haste to Beelzebub's audience chamber. "I see that the virus has already taken effect. I think a test of your power is in order."

"What kind of test?"

"Try using it. Simply focus your thoughts and it will react accordingly," replied Beelzebub.

When Yukari did as Beelzebub suggested, the mark glowed with green light. Veins of such light raced across every inch of her body. The power strained her flesh, as though trying to burst out of her body. The pain ripped across her body. She was not used to this transformation yet. Her clothing became a veil-like mesh, covering her body like curtains. Her skin and hair turned dark, like that of an African woman. A violet headdress, pointed like the sun, appeared on her head. Now, she resembled the woman depicted on her tattoo.

"You've taken on the form of Black Maria, the Earth Mother," informed Baal Zebul. "She grew out of earth goddess traditions before the Abrahamic religions came into being. I'm sure you'll want to test out your new power, so head down to the training area below."

As Black Maria, the Decarabia led Yukari to a gladiatorial coliseum. Stone walls defined the circular central area, with only two steel portcullises allowing entry. Along the surface of the walls ran lines of glowing, blood-like substance. Above the portcullis was a separated area with a single throne for seating a VIP. A swarm of flies descended onto the throne and coalesced into Baal Zebul. He gestured to open one of the portcullises, releasing a dog-like demon, a Cerberus, into the arena. The dog demon snorted flame.

"Defeat this Cerberus. Begin!" said Baal Zebul.

Cerberus picked up speed, entering into a full speed charge at her. It pounced, but Yukari hovered away. Cerberus landed on all fours and turned to face her. It took a deep breath and exhaled a roaring gout of flame. Yukari surrounded herself in green light, a barrier to block the fire. Even as the flames washed around her, the heat was very discomforting. When Cerberus ran out of breath, Yukari held out her hand. A green tornado rushed forward and scooped up the demon. After being spun around, the demon collapsed in a nauseated daze.

"Good! Next!" said Baal Zebul. The portcullis opened again, releasing a griffon into the arena. "This griffon will be your next opponent. Begin!"

The griffon screeched and charged at Yukari. She suddenly floated up, causing it to overshoot. The griffon righted itself and looked around. It found her and tried to charge again. Yukari banked right and held out her hand. An arrow shot forward, slicing past the griffon's frontal left leg. The griffon screeched in pain and bits of black matter scattered from the wound. The griffon screeched out a sonic shock wave. It caught Yukari and hurled her back. She righted herself and fired another arrow, impaling it through the griffon's flank. It crashed on the ground and burst into black ooze.

"Good! Good!" said Baal Zebul. "Now, in order to bring your Reason to Kagutsuchi, you must secure caches of Magatsuhi. Once we get enough, I will forge a key. When the time comes, we'll also need to find a shard of Kagutsuchi, but we'll worry about that later. To assist in your search, Hercules will accompany you."

A gigantic muscleman emerged through the open portcullis. He wore leather sandals, a white cloth draped around his waist, and a lion's skin over his chest. "I am Hercules. My strength is yours to command, Lady Yukari," said Hercules.

* * *

><p>9 Days after Conception<p>

"My Reason is Succession," announced Yukari. "Even if He is God, He has no right to play with our lives like that. To end the Conception system, I will place Lucifer as the new controller."

"Who is that?" asked Yuzu.

"This is Yukari Takeba. She was a former member of SEES," replied Mitsuru. "It looks like she has developed her own Reason and is working with Lucifer to establish it."

"Lucifer?" asked Saemon.

"I want to replace Kagutsuchi with Lucifer," said Yukari. "No more Conceptions! Lucifer will end this system once I make him the controller."

"What you want means defying the Great Will," said Saemon. "He will not take kindly to that, especially if you intend to replace Kagutsuchi with Lucifer. He is not the kindly God your religions say He is. If they knew Him, most would see Him as a petty, spiteful tyrant."

"I've made up my mind. If any of you wish to join me, I'd be happy to take you on board," said Yukari. "I'll let you have the Magatsuhi this time. Let's go, Hercules."

Yukari and Hercules left the area, leaving the demon hunters to ponder her words and the revelation of her Reason. "Yukari has a Reason now," said Aigis. "She's really serious about stopping the Conception system."

"You aren't thinking of joining her, are you?" asked Chie.

"You heard what Saemon said," said Yukiko. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Don't do it. I smell a set up coming a mile away," said Kanji. "If you join her, you'll just go down with her."

Aigis seemed unsure, unable to decide how to proceed. "I don't know," she replied.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	20. Judge 4: Angkor Alliance

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 4: Angkor Alliance **

14 Days after Conception

"We've just formed an alliance with Angkor Town, far to the east. They're willing to let us take Magatsuhi from one of their temples, Angkor Wat, to help our cause. We'll be making trip there later today to help them upgrade their Amala Drums," said Saemon, announcing the discovery made by Fushimi's men.

"Okay, but why do we need to go?" asked Yosuke. "I can see Atsuro going there, but why us?"

"Angkor Wat is infested by demons," replied Saemon. "The Angkorites can't divert resources from town defence to help us clear the temple. We'll have to do it ourselves. However, for this expedition, I want Mitsuru and Aigis to remain behind to defend Inaba."

"What? Why?" asked Mitsuru.

"We're normally part of the expedition teams. Why are we being put on defence?" asked Aigis.

"Several people had expressed concern over where certain members of our team stand, in light of Yukari's new position," replied Saemon. "Angkor Town is very close to our border with the Cult of Gaia's lands."

"Are you questioning the loyalty of our friends? They've been with us this whole time!" said Yukiko. "How can you do that?"

"Yeah, they've proven themselves time and again. Isn't that enough?" asked Chie.

"...But they're also friends of Yukari. Can they bring themselves to fight her like we can?" asked Yosuke. "If they can't, how can we trust our lives to them?"

"I agree with Saemon and Yosuke," said Naoto. "If they can't fully commit to this, it's not just dangerous for everyone else. It's too dangerous for themselves."

"Hey, don't look at me!" replied Akihiko. "This whole idea of putting Lucifer in charge is crazy. I don't want it! I have a feeling that just helping him will come back to haunt her later on."

"I don't think they'll change their minds. Look at the bright side. It will give you time to work out your feelings," said Yuzu. "I know it's not easy to have to fight a friend."

* * *

><p>To the east of Inaba, there was a town on the neutral lands which bordered those owned by the Cult of Gaia. This was Angkor Town, a mishmash of various locales from around the world, with an emphasis on Cambodia and Thailand. Despite the temptation to turn to crime, those who survived the Conception refrained from doing so. Instead, they came together, uniting to carve out a new life in this harsh, post-apocalyptic world. To the Angkorites, it didn't matter if a person was human, demon, Manikin, or lost soul. If that person was willing to help, they accepted his or her help.<p>

In fields outside of town, farmers worked the ravaged soil, toiling to return greenery to a barren world. A bull demon, a Nandi, pulled a plough across the field. As it completed each row, a group of pixies dug open holes and plant a seed within each of them rich soil. A second group followed the first, tilting a can to rain water over the newly planted seeds. In a nearby field, a lost soul farmer examined a ripe red tomato on its vine.

In the temple of Preah Vihear, in the outskirts of the city, priests chanted prayers under the guidance of a high priest, a creature with a man's torso and the tail of a serpent. This demon, a Raja Naga, recited the words to a grateful, joyous prayer, which his congregation repeated. As they chanted, the muffin trays before him started to fill with Magatsuhi. When the prayers were finished, the Raja Naga sampled the Magatsuhi, which had the consistency and texture of jelly. The Magatsuhi had a nice sweet taste to it, like strawberry candy. The Raja Naga smiled and nodded approvingly to the congregation.

The demon hunters approached the town in their convoy of vehicles, taking in the sights and sounds of Angkor Town. "Demons, humans, and lost souls cooperating?" asked Naoto, viewing the farms and contentment on the people's faces.

"Every seems so happy and peaceful," remarked Yukiko.

"Atsuro, who was this demon we were supposed to meet?" asked Kanji.

"That would be the mayor, a yaksini," replied Atsuro.

"Yaksini? Oh, don't you have one of them, right? That topless purple babe with the swords?" asked Teddie.

"Yeah," said Atsuro.

"Wow, two hotties!" remarked Teddie. "This is my lucky day!"

"I seem to remember a certain bear crashing and burning when he tried to put the moves on her," said Yosuke.

"Uggh, don't remind me," said Teddie sheepishly. "What's your secret, Atsuro? What does she mean by a 'strong man.'"

"Face it, I've got the right stuff and you don't," said Atsuro, chuckling and flexing his muscles for emphasis.

"We're here," said Izuna as she brought the truck to a stop.

Naoto and Saemon entered the mayor's office, an office building at the heart of the city. It had an almost temple-like structure and appearance. The building was a concrete structure with Greek columns demarcating the entryway of the building. The interior had clean white marble floors covered by a brown Persian rug which ran down the hallway. The blonde succubus receptionist directed Saemon's group to the office of the yaksini mayor. The mayor herself was busy signing some documents on her desk.

"Mayor, our crew is waiting in the trucks parked outside. Is it alright for us to retrieve the Magatsuhi now?" asked Naoto.

"Of course, it's in the catacombs beneath Angkor Wat. I'll tell the guards to let you through, but be careful. There are Shadows and demons living there. They guard the Magatsuhi jealously and have attacked the town on numerous occasions," said the mayor.

The demon hunters reached Angkor Wat temple within the hour, seeing a vast temple complex extend before them. Even in the Vortex World, Angkor Wat was as majestic as it was before the Conception. However, beyond the moat surrounding the temple grounds, the group could see the outlines of creeping Shadows. The moment they crossed a narrow strip of land, the only way across the moat, black oozes approached and took the form of tank-like Shadows.

They fired at the the group, and in response, Saemon teleported in front of them and raised his guard. Their shots rebounded off of a previously invisible gold barrier, travelling back to the tanks and blowing them up. The demon hunters searched the grounds until they located a single ladder leading deep into the underground. "Midori, take your team in first," said Saemon. "Draw away the Shadows so we can head straight for the Magatsuhi."

"Okay, you can count on me!" said Midori.

"The Magatsuhi is in the largest chamber at the bottom floor," informed Rise. "Be careful, all of you."

Midori's team descended the ladder in the main temple. The Angkor Catacombs were passageways of ancient stone, with numerous empty recesses for corpses. However, they were largely empty. The air had a cool, eerie sensation of the supernatural. The catacombs were lit only by a series of torches along the walls. They seemed to have been altered, if not created, by the Conception and the presence of Shadows and demons within it. So far, her team had not found anything. Eventually, they had encountered a large pitch black room at the end of one of the hallways.

"Be careful in there. There are Shadows lurking in the darkness. Find some way to light the room," suggested Teddie through telepathy.

"Easily done," replied Midori.

Midori produced a hovering flame and sent it into the room. The room instantly became lit, revealing a hockey-masked Murderer and a lion-like Beast Shadow chained to a large, masked iron ball. The Murderer was twice as tall as a normal human and the beast was equally large. The Shadows perked into alertness as Midori's team rushed into the room and surrounded them. The Beast charged at Midori and pounced at her. Midori sidestepped and gained distance as the Beast turned to keep its focus on her.

Midori spewed flames from her hands. Seared by the attack, the Beast staggered back and cowered while covering its face. When the flames died, Black Frost suddenly pounced onto the Beast's back and started pummelling it. The Beast growled in pain, swinging and bucking around in an attempt to throw him off. Black Frost held on and breathed ice upon the Shadow. The chill bit into its skin, but that only enraged the Beast, who made one hard buck which threw off Black Frost. Black Frost got up from the ground and immediately breathed ice on the Beast's leg.

The Beast's leg was encased in ice. It could not move towards them to attack. "Alright!" said Midori.

"He's frozen, ho!" chimed Black Frost.

"Hector deliver magical punishment to Shadow!" cried Hector, cracking his numerous knuckles as he advanced. His fists flew at the Beast Shadow like blurs. He pummelled the beast so furiously that it's form broke apart and dissolved into blobs of inky darkness.

"There are Hableries coming from behind," informed Teddie.

Midori looked over and saw Yukiko and Chie moving forward to intercept the Hableries. Yukiko blasted three with a roaring torrent of flame. The ones she missed were cut down by Chie, who had kicked one of them into the remaining three. Although all of them dissolved into darkness, more Hableries came from deeper in the catacombs to replace the fallen. The room's entrance were blocked off by the onslaught of Shadows. The Murderer was still active, and he was battling Keisuke and his demons while obstructing the exit at the other end.

* * *

><p>Through the psychic powers of Kanzeon, Rise watched the battle which had broken out in the catacombs. "That's your cue, time to go in," said Rise.<p>

"Will do, wish us luck," said Saemon, who climbed down the ladder, followed by Yuzu, Naoto, and Kanji.

Saemon's group advanced through the catacombs without incident, thanks to the distraction Midori's group had provided. Even as they ran through the hallways, they could hear explosions echoing from deeper in, along with roaring fire. "Rise, how are they holding out?" asked Yuzu.

"They're doing fine," she replied. "Don't worry about them."

The team travelled through all of the winding corridors of the Angkor Wat catacombs. With Midori's team distracting the Shadows, only a few remained to patrol the corridors and defend the Magatsuhi. One such group of Shadows, a Turret squadron, blocked the path leading to the heart of the catacombs. These small, camouflage tanks had holed up in a large royal burial area in the catacombs. It was a chamber the size of a football field. It was filled with urns and the remains of nobles in the openings.

"Watch out, these Shadows are tough ones," warned Rise. "Fire and death attacks won't work on them. Their metallic bodies also make physical attacks less effective, but conduct electrical attacks."

"You mean like this?" asked Saemon, unleashing a powerful blast of Zio upon the tank.

The electricity scattered all over the Turrets' chassis, eventually blowing out some of their electronics. Immobile and crackling with electricity, the Turrets could only wait for the inevitable. Yog-Sothoth suddenly appeared. "The Yog will open the way," he said. "Tank goodness for portals!"

He opened a giant, violet-gold vortex below the Turrets. Those closest to the centre were dragged in instantly, hurled into oblivion. The others were still trapped, trying to fight the pull of the vortex. Scarlet suddenly descended on one of them and slashed it with a single swipe. The Turret got dragged into the portal and vanished. Kanji heard an engine coming from the distance. A trio of Turrets had to emerge from the exit at the other end.

Kanji faced them in preparation to battle. "Man, more of them?" asked Kanji.

Kanji hurled a bolt of lightning. It hit the foremost Turret, then bounced over twice more to strike others. Like Saemon's, Kanji's electricity shorted the Turrets, leaving them vulnerable and at his mercy. Yuzu's Mahakala unleashed Myriad Arrows at the Turrets. Despite their armour, Kanji's electricity had left them immobile and vulnerable. The arrows pierced through the armour, perforating the Turrets like Swiss cheese. They started to smoke as their engines gave out. Eventually, they soon dissolved in bursts of black ooze.

"They're more coming!" cried Rise.

A new tank emerged from the exit and fired at Naoto. She dove away quickly, dodging the shell just in the nick of time. She got up and unloaded ammunition into it, but the metallic armour merely deflected the shots. She immediately called Vishnu, who hurled his chakram. The disc sliced a massive gash down the Turret's left side. Still functional, it swivelled to Naoto and fired. She took the hit straight in the chest and went crashing into the ground.

"Naoto!" cried Kanji, moving to cover her. "Saemon, go on ahead with Yuzu. The Magatsuhi has to be nearby if we're being stalled by these guys."

"Okay, stay alive you all. Don't take any stupid risks," said Saemon.

"Yeah, let's make sure everyone gets out safely," said Yuzu, before running off ahead with Saemon.

The two crossed a long hallway before coming upon a large chamber just metres ahead of the Turret room. The stone chamber was lined with carvings from the era of the Khmer, when their empire was at its prime. They depicted the daily life of people, from traders selling goods, to workers building stone temples brick by brick. At the far end were numerous depictions of soldiers carrying spears and bows, some of which were mounted on elephants. At this end of the room was a single altar with a pillar of deep red light. That was the Magatsuhi they were looking for.

Yuzu attempted to step forward but Saemon held out his arm to stop her. "Wait, there's something else here," he whispered.

Saemon glanced around and focused on an empty corner to the front and right of the entry door. He projected a blast of wind at that location. Suddenly, a female demon appeared! She was a humanoid creature with black skin and a horseshoe for a face. "Damn, you found me!" cursed the demon. "I will not let you take my treasure. The Magatsuhi is mine!"

She scurried up the wall, turning invisible as she ascended. Suddenly, the soldier carvings sprung to life, emerging straight out of the wall, moving towards Yuzu and Saemon! Yuzu hurled three Wind Cutters at them, but they merely passed through harmlessly. "My magic isn't working!" cried Yuzu.

"They're not real. She's Maya, the Mother of Illusions. Be careful, I detect real ones mixed in with the fakes," warned Saemon. A flurry of arrows came his way. He held out his hand, creating a single golden barrier. The arrows hit the barrier and turned the other way, back towards their owners. The arrows flew through the mass of soldiers passing through the illusions like they were air.

Yuzu hurled another Wind Cutter, slashing off the face of one of the soldiers. Its body crumbled soon after. "That one was real," said Yuzu.

Saemon hurled a sphere of almighty energy. The resulting explosion tore through the first three stone soldiers, doing no harm to them. They were merely illusions. The fourth, however, had been disintegrated instantly. The blast also hit a fifth, which disintegrated part of the surface of its stone skin. Drawn to this one, Scarlet suddenly appeared behind, and clawed it in the back. Mahakala swung for another, catching only air, as his victim was just an illusion.

"Where's the demon?" asked Scarlet, looking around for Maya.

"I'll snuff her out. Cover me!" said Saemon. He proceeded to scan around the room. A few seconds later, he detected an anomaly, an alteration of the local reality, and immediately sprayed that area with ice and snow. Although Maya had tried to move away, some of the frost came into contact with her. It coated her left leg and arm, giving them a highly revealing, frosty outline.

"There you are!" cried Scarlet, immediately pouncing on Maya. Maya darted away, leaving Scarlet to hit the wall. Scarlet hurled fireballs at her new location, but Maya leaped over to another wall to escape.

Yuzu tracked Maya and hurled Wind Cutters. Her first one missed, but the second lacerated Maya's frosty arm. Maya lost her grip and plummeted to the ground. Yuzu hurled more Wind Cutters which sliced her to pieces. Maya's separated sections melted into inky darkness and vanished. "Alright!" said Yuzu.

Saemon summoned an Amala Drum and pressed some of its buttons. The device started to hum and spin as it drew the Magatsuhi into it. As it filled, the symbols on the drum gradually turned red. "Rise, we have the Magatsuhi. Tell everyone to leave," said Saemon.

* * *

><p>16 Days After Conception<p>

Yukari and Hercules wandered down a sparse grassland somewhere in the wilderness of the Vortex World. High above the land, Kagatsuchi shone brightly as ever, filling the barren world with his light and warmth. Even though the world had ended, nature continued on. Tiny ants worked along the ground, tunnelling out a home from the loose dirt of the ground, hidden between blades of grass. In the few trees in this grassland, a flock of birds sat chirping away merrily.

"Look, I see it up ahead!" cried Hercules.

He pointed to a set of standing stones up ahead. The lengthy rectangular stones were arranged in a circular pattern, some of which were positioned to form arches. Inside the stone arches were two more concentric circles of small stones. This unique structure was Stonehenge, a national monument and heritage site of England. The structure seemed to radiate a sense of otherworldly power. This was likely why the druids had used it as a gathering place and site for performing their sacred rituals. It was fitting that a cache of Magatsuhi would be beneath it.

"Stonehenge... I've heard about this place in school," remarked Yukari.

Hercules tossed aside a stone plate at the centre of the circle of stones. Underneath was a ladder which descended deep into a set of underground catacombs. There were openings in the walls for storing the remains of the dead. One of the nearby ones had the bones of a deceased druid, still dressed in ceremonial robes. Hercules declined usage of the ladder and simply dropped to the bottom, landing with a thud. Yukari was stunned by Hercules abrupt and sudden landing behind her.

"The ladder is there for a reason, you know," she scolded.

The two warriors continued into the Druidic Tomb. At regular intervals, there were more openings for the remains of the ancient druids. In between these resting places were holders with burning torches which illuminated the hallways. The torches themselves gave off a sense of the supernatural. It was likely magic which had kept them burning, despite seemingly no one around to maintain their flame. Even though Atma made her part demon, this tomb really unnerved Yukari. She was constantly on guard, fearing that one of the corpses would spring to life and attack her.

"Ugh, where is it? How far in do we have to go?" she asked.

"Hmm? Scared a zombie might come to eat your braaaaaains?" Hercules chuckled.

"Ha ha ha, very funny..." replied Yukari sarcastically.

As the duo entered a large chamber, they encountered a beautiful demon further inside the room. This demon was a fair-skinned, elven woman who floated in the air as though sitting cross-legged on top of an invisible chair. She was a blonde with hair so long, that its length easily exceeded her height, draping along the ground. She wore a grape-coloured dress which was slit open down the middle, showing her smooth, silky skin. The demon hovered about, but didn't seem to like her surroundings and looked quite out of place in this tomb.

The elven woman heard Hercules and Yukari's approaching footsteps. She turned around to see them. "Who are you?" she asked.

"We're in search of Magatsuhi. We're trying to establish a Reason," announced Hercules.

"I see, you will need to face my masters then," replied the elven woman. "I am Leanan Sidhe. Our purpose is to test those who wish to establish their Reason. As part of our duties, we guard the Magatsuhi here. I will take you to them."

She led Hercules and Yukari deeper in, to the largest chamber in the heart of the Druidic Tomb. There, they came face to face with two other demons. The first was a Gothic woman with chalk white skin, clad in black leather which was much like a bikini. She also wore a long black cloak which draped all the way to the ground. The woman wore a large black hat on her head. She seemed to float in the air, as though kneeling on top of an invisible platform. Leanan Sidhe introduced her as Scathach, the Mentor.

The second was much stranger and fearsome than Scathach. The humanoid demon had black fur covering his legs. He had similar fur on his arms, which almost made it seem as though he was wearing matching bracers. His torso was muscular and red-skinned, like the popular depictions of devils. For his head, he had a bird cage which contained a single large eye connected to the rest of his body by veins. Leanan Sidhe introduced this bizarre yet fearsome demon as Balor of the Evil Eye, King of the Fomorians.

Balor's single eye turned to Yukari and Hercules. "So, these two wish to claim to our Magatsuhi?" asked Balor.

"Yes, it is on the altar behind us," replied Scathach. Yukari glanced at the back of the room, which had a single stone altar with a column of red light hovering above it. "You may have it, but only if you pass a test of your resolve. You must face myself and Balor in combat. If you can best us, we will surrender the Magatsuhi and join your cause."

"I see," remarked Yukari. "Let's go!"

Yukari transformed into Black Maria and prepared to battle the demons. Scathach held out her open palm. A sphere of swirling ice and snow gathered before her palm and burst forward as a blizzard-like torrent. Yukari covered herself, her fishnet veil becoming coated in frost. The coldness chilled right through the veil and to her skin. Fighting through the cold, she formed an arrow and let it loose. Scathach banked left and hurled another icy blast. Yukari blocked and cast Dia upon coming out of her guard.

Balor fired a devastating Primal Force. Hercules immediately covered up. As Balor maintained the pressure, Hercules fought his way through, inching closer to his foe. When he reached dangerously close, Balor ceased the beam. Hercules snatched him with double underhooks and pushed him to the nearest wall. He proceeded to drive knee after knee into Balor's gut, wearing him down with each devastating body blow.

Balor focused his eye and sent a point-blank beam right into Hercules' face. The mighty Olympian went sailing back, crashing into the wall behind and leaving an indentation. Balor charged up for another beam, but Hercules rolled away just before it hit. He charged in and tackled Balor to the ground. He mounted the demon and rained punches down on Balor. Each devastating hit was like a bomb dropped directly onto Balor's face. Balor had his arms up to shield his face, but Hercules simply hooked around to hit him.

Eventually, Balor couldn't keep his guard up and began taking full contact hits to the face. "That's enough, Balor can't fight back. You've beaten him," announced Leanan Sidhe.

Scathach unleashed a blast of ice. Yukari saw it coming and immediately formed a tornado before her. The winds sucked in the icy blast, whirling it around until the entire tornado turned white and blue with frost. She immediately returned it to Scathach. The Mentor fought back tears as she tried to resist the suction, but couldn't and got scooped inside. Round and round she went, until the tornado slammed her into the wall.

"You win," said Leanan Sidhe.

Balor got off the ground, noticeably having regained much of his equilibrium. "Your strength is great. You have what its takes to realize you Reason. Please accept our help," he offered. "Call upon us whenever you need help in the battles ahead."

"Thank you," said Yukari.

"Yukari," said an image of Baal Zebul, appearing before her. "There is another cache of Magatsuhi in Angkor Town. It is likely in the catacombs underneath the Preah Vihear temple. Go there and check it out."

Yukari, Hercules, and their new companions travelled far to Angkor Town, coming to a temple at the northern outskirts of town. The temple was on a cliff which overlooked a wide reaching plain below. The area was teeming with demons, most of whom were largely unassuming civilians. They were attracted to the residual power and energy in the area, which both Hercules and Yukari could feel within their beings. The demons milling about the area and revelled in the nourishing power of the temple's aura.

As they approached the main building, an ancient construct of worn stone, a pair of rotund, red-skinned demons barred their way. They had Buddhist-style elongated ears and carried large talwars on their backs. These demons were yaksas, nature spirits of Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Rather than walk, these demons floated to move about on their patrols. When they spotted Yukari and friends, they barred her path. "Halt, this location is under the protection of the Angkor government. No trespassers allowed."

"We need to get inside to get Magatsuhi," said Yukari.

"No one is allowed in," replied the yaksa.

"Maybe we should ask the mayor," suggested Leanan Sidhe. "We shouldn't make a scene here."

Yukari's group visited the yaksini mayor, who flat out refused to allow them access. "This location supplies Magatsuhi for our town. We can't let you take the cache," said the yaksini.

The group left the mayor's offices in disappointment. "What do we do now?" asked Leanan Sidhe.

"I'm asking Baal Zebul," said Yukari, creating an image of the demon lord. She told him the events that had transpired.

"There is no other choice. We must take the Magatsuhi by force. We're already behind the other Reasons. We can't fall any further. We need this cache to catch up," he stated.

"But Baal Zebul, are we just going to attack these people? They've done nothing to hurt us," said Yukari.

"If we are to establish our Reason, we must make swift, tough choices such as this," said Baal Zebul. "If you believe in your Reason, then you'll do what's necessary to bring it to fruition. Even if you spared the town, it would cease to exist once your Reason, or any Reason, became established. The world would be restructured like during the Conception. The people here would reincarnate into new lives and the demons would be forced to go their own ways."

"I see," said Yukari. "Send me reinforcements. I'll lead the raid on the temple."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	21. Judge 5: RotR - Exaltation

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 5: Rise of the Reasons - Exaltation **

17 Days After Conception

"Saemon, what's the emergency?" asked Yosuke as he sat down in his seat.

"It's Angkor Town," he replied. "The Cult of Gaia hit the town earlier this morning."

"What?" asked Yuzu.

"Didn't we just visit that place yesterday?" asked Kanji.

"Yeah," replied Saemon. "Yukari had been spotted among the invasion force. She even led a division into Preah Vihear. No doubt she is after the Magatsuhi stored within. As part of our alliance, we are going to send people there to end the occupation."

"So you are going to fight Yukari?" asked Aigis.

"Probably," replied Saemon. "I still can't let you and Mitsuru go. You'll have to stay here with the others. Those of you who are staying, make sure neither of them sneak out."

Saemon took a group of Atsuro, Yuzu, Naoto, Naoki, Yosuke, and Rise with him to the Amala Drum. As they soared through the vast ocean of Magatsuhi, they came upon a squad of demons guarding a fountain of light. All of them were humanoid creatures who wore capes and clothing of black. They were bald, had grotesque faces, and mouths filled with fangs. These creatures were vampires, blood drinking creatures of the night. When the vampires spotted them, they hissed at the group.

"They're vampires. They're resistant to physical attacks and immune to death magic. They hate fire and are weak to banishment attacks," said Rise.

"Let's burn'em down!" said Naoki.

He summoned Hell Biker and sped forward, becoming ablaze with roaring flame. Hell Biker bowled over several of the vampire squad, leaving nothing behind but ashes. Naoto summoned Yamato-Takeru and swarmed the vampires with paper talismans. The slips of paper flickered with pure white light, consuming the few remaining survivors. With the destruction of each vampire, they let out a blood-curling screech of agony before falling to the ground as ash.

* * *

><p>Some time after Saemon and Naoto's group left, Mitsuru started to pace across the recreation room in Sumaru Castle. Her thoughts of Yukari meeting and battling her allies occupied her mind. She deeply wished to see Yukari one more time, but at the same time, didn't know how she'd react to her old friend. She honestly thought that Yukari's idea had merit, but balked at the suggestion that Lucifer be the one to replace Kagutsuchi. Even if it was Yukari's idea, Lucifer had a reputation for deviousness. He only wanted to gain something from supporting her idea.<p>

Still, the Conception was just the Fall under a new name. Beelzebub had dealt with the latter, when he destroyed Nyx, as a condition of bringing about the former. Pabelsag had dealt with Erebus, when he defeated the monster and diverted its power to fuel Kagutsuchi's summoning. The only thing left was to deal with the Conception. Saemon had warned that to stop future Conceptions was to defy God Himself and that He would crush those who did so. God wasn't simply death, He was both creator and destroyer of the universe at the same time. Nyx was nothing compared to Him.

Also on her mind was what would happen if she were to follow either Saemon or Yukari. If she joined Yukari, she would instantly become an enemy of not just Saemon and Naoto, she would also be against Akihiko. In their last meeting, he made it clear that he opposed the Reason of Succession and his reasons for that. Aigis was the wild card. She still hadn't decided on who she would support. Depending on how their choices turned out, they could both end up on the same side, or as enemies.

Yukiko popped into the room. "You're still here?" she asked. "What's the matter? Are you still thinking about Yukari?"

"Yeah," replied Mitsuru.

"My family will be done cleaning the inn in about an hour. Ai and I are going to use the hot springs when they're done. Why don't you come along?" asked Yukiko.

Mitsuru paused momentarily to think about whether to take Yukiko's offer. "Yeah, I have a lot on my mind. Maybe a trip to the springs is what I need."

A few minutes later, Mitsuru found herself in the women's changing room. She removed every article of clothing from her body and wrapped a towel around her body. She folded her clothes neatly and stacked them in a basket in a cupboard for safe keeping. She entered the steamy waters, where Yukiko and Ai were already present. The two girls were mellow and relaxed as they soaked in the atmosphere. Mitsuru climbed in and sat next to them.

"Mmm, this is divine," said Ai. She opened her eyes and took note of Mitsuru's silky skin. "Wow, your skin's so silky, Mitsuru."

Yukiko examined Mitsuru's body. "What's your secret?"

"Hmm?" asked Mitsuru.

"How do you get you skin to look so beautiful and smooth?" asked Ai.

"I use White Grace skin cream after I shower or bathe," replied Mitsuru.

"That stuff's pretty pricy," said Ai. "I guess you can afford it easily, since you're so loaded."

"It's not just the cream. My cook makes me the healthiest food he can get. He always serves organic, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables," replied Mitsuru.

"So, you eat healthy too," said Yukiko.

"Of course," replied Mitsuru. "There's no magic bullet. I eat healthier and practice fencing to stay in shape. I still like to take in sweets now and then."

"I guess it's too hard to keep to a diet perfectly. I craved fast food so much when I started dieting," admitted Ai.

"Yeah, you have let yourself indulge sometimes. Otherwise you'll go crazy and binge on the junk," said Mitsuru. After relaxing for a few seconds, something came to mind. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"We only allow water in the springs, so a cup of water for each of us please," replied Yukiko.

"Okay," Mitsuru replied, as she left the waters and headed to the door.

A few minutes later, she returned to the dressing room, with a platter carrying three cups of water. She glanced at the door to the hot springs, where Yukiko and Ai remained in the water, relaxing and taking in the atmosphere. Mitsuru searched through her belonging and retrieved two packets. She opened the packets and poured the contents, a white powder, in two of the drinks. She took the third and started drinking it, leaving the others for her friends.

She entered the springs area and served the drinks as she entered the water. Yukiko and Ai both gulped down the water from both of the spiked cups. After all three had emptied their cups, Mitsuru returned them to the tray. The three continued to relax in the springs. Yukiko eventually closed her eyes and nodded off, her head rested against the rocks. Ai followed a few seconds later. "Yukiko, Ai, wake up," said Mitsuru, but neither girl responded. Both continued to sleep, ignoring her words.

Mitsuru grabbed Ai and moved her out of the hot springs and onto the stone floor. She went back for Yukiko, putting her next to the unconscious and naked Ai. With them unconscious, there was nothing they could do to stop Mitsuru now. She rushed to the dressing room and quickly tossed on her clothes. She left the Amagi Inn, going out through the back while avoiding the staff. She sneaked back to Inaba proper, using the back streets. When she was a safe distance from the inn, she made a call on her cell phone.

"Hello Aigis, it's me. Is anyone there?" asked Mitsuru.

"No, what's the problem?" she asked.

"Meet me by the Amala Drum over in the abandoned Honda car dealership. I need you to do something," replied Mitsuru. "Make sure no one sees you going."

Aigis was concerned about Mitsuru telling her to come in secret, yet did so anyways. Aigis made her way to the car dealership, which was now a vacant lot with a small shelter. After the Conception, she and Fushimi's forces had installed an Amala Drum within it as transportation to other towns. Mitsuru was waiting by the drum, cautiously glancing around outside in case anyone from the Investigation Team or the Survivors came along. When she spotted Aigis, she quickly made sure nobody was watching and gestured her to come in.

"What's this about?" asked Aigis.

"I want to see Yukari one more time. I need to speak to her," said Mitsuru.

"Didn't Saemon forbid us from going to meet her?" asked Aigis.

"I know, but I can't stay here any longer. I need to speak to Yukari. I don't know what to do, but I want to see her one last time, before I can decide," replied Mitsuru. "Don't you have doubts about what we should do? About what Reason we should follow?"

"Yeah," replied Aigis. "Yukari is my friend, but I don't completely agree with her choice. I know that with her Reason, we can end this once and for all, but is it wise to set up Lucifer as the controller? What will he do once he takes over from Kagutsuchi? What will God do once he realizes that?"

"That's why we need to see Yukari," replied Mitsuru. "Only she can answer that. Let's go."

* * *

><p>Mitsuru and Aigis emerged in the shelter of a small vacant gas station in Angkor Town. From their location, they could see the mountain on which Preah Vihear stood, temple and all. The duo made their way over as stealthily as possible to avoid running afoul of a Cult of Gaia patrol. Their path took them to the underside of the cliff, just off to the side of the temple. Aigis picked up Mitsuru and jumped from small cliff to small cliff, slowly ascending until they finally got over the ruined walls of the temple grounds.<p>

A patrol of Gaians passed the courtyard. The two hid behind a pair of ruined sections of wall to avoid being spotted. When the patrol had passed safely, the two emerged from hiding. "Yukari is in the sanctuary further in. She's underground in the deepest chamber, loading the Magatsuhi in an Amala Drum," informed Mitsuru, using Artemisia to psychically see her.

The duo entered the sanctuary, a small stone building, where they found a single ladder leading downward. Once at the bottom, they passed through several stone hallways, many of which contained religious carvings. They depicted gods like Shiva being worshipped by the ancient peoples. In alcoves in the larger rooms, there were shrines with candles and burning incense for worship. They continued to pass through the hallways, with Mitsuru psychically tracking the patrols and demons to avoid them.

When they arrived at the largest pair of doors, they had found the deepest chamber of the temple. "Yukari is just beyond. Let's go in," said Mitsuru.

The duo opened the door and stepped in. The occupants of the chamber, Yukari and her demonic followers turned to the door. The demons prepared to rush in for the attack. "Stop," said Yukari. "So, this must mean you've come to join me after all?"

"I'm not sure of that," replied Aigis. "I'd like to ask you some questions."

"Sure go ahead, I think you deserve to know more, since I was so abrupt the last time," said Yukari.

"I want to know, what will Lucifer do once you overthrow Kagutsuchi?" asked Aigis.

"Nothing actually," replied Yukari.

"He'll do nothing?" asked Mitsuru.

"He'll leave behind some of his demons to guard our world against interference from God or his angels," admitted Yukari. "Otherwise, he'll be hands off."

"Won't the world descend into chaos without someone in charge?" asked Aigis.

"Lucifer trusts our judgement. He believes we can work things out by ourselves. All he wants is for humans to live with free will, not ordered around by some 'God.' He will let us make our own decisions and our own mistakes. We will choose our own path, rather than have it be chosen for us."

"I see. If that's what he wants, then I will join you," said Mitsuru.

"What? Are you sure about this?" asked Aigis.

"Yes, if he wants us to be free to make our own choices, I am fine with him as the controller," replied Mitsuru. "The others are wasting their time. They don't even have a Reason yet. Even if they get one, a Conception could happen again and it will reset everything."

"...But that won't happen again for millions, if not billions of years. None of us will live long enough to see another Conception in our lifetimes," said Aigis. "After this Conception, everyone will be brought back to life once we establish a Reason."

"You don't get it, do you Aigis? It's not about everyone being resurrected," said Yukari. "It's about stopping some 'God' from wiping us out on some capricious whims. No, I won't accept that!"

"Even so, I think people need guidance to live a good life, and a Reason can offer that," admitted Aigis. "It doesn't have to be as extreme as having an almighty God dictate everything we do, but there has to be some structure, some guidance."

"I'm not surprised to hear you say that," said Yukari. "You're just a robot. You can't do anything unless someone programs you to."

"If I was just a robot, I wouldn't be able to feel like I do now," replied Aigis. "As my friends, you guided me. You showed me what it was like to be human, him most of all. I will never forget that."

Yukari sighed. "It seems you still won't listen to reason. Thankfully, I'm in a good mood. I'll let you leave in one piece today, but if I ever see you again, I'll show no mercy."

"Understood," replied Aigis. "After this moment, we are enemies."

* * *

><p>A fireball soared at Naoto, who quickly ducked. Her opponent, a Decarabia, unleashed another, from which she dove out of the way. The fireball hit the ground and exploded. After Naoto got up, the Decarabia threw yet another, still not fatigued. Naoto blocked and the flames dissipated around her body for minimal damage. She cast several paper talismans at him. The Decarabia tried to run away, but the talismans tracked him. They attached to his back and swirled a divine white light which disappeared him.<p>

The demons of Succession were numerous and seemed to come without end. Saemon projected a massive wave of darkness upon them. The sheer power of the Hades Blast scooped demons by the score and washed them away. All of a sudden, the demons and the human cultist turned the other way and fled. "Where are they doing?" asked Yuzu.

"They're running away, but it's not like they were losing," replied Atsuro.

At that moment, Aigis descended from the rooftops. "Aigis? What are you doing here? I thought we told you to stay at Inaba!" said Saemon.

"Mitsuru has joined Yukari," she replied.

"What?" asked Yuzu.

"Yeah, that's what happened. She brought me with her when she sneaked out of Inaba. She wanted to ask Yukari some questions," replied Aigis. She elaborated further on what she had seen during the meeting with Yukari.

"You didn't join them?" asked Saemon.

"No, I didn't agree with their Reason," replied Aigis. "Like I told them, I believed that people needed guidance. Having a Reason provides that. Lucifer's rule would deny that to the people and it would be total chaos."

"It seems you're beginning to fully understand the Conception system," said Saemon, pleased with Aigis' new-found revelations.

After Succession had retreated from the area, the Angkorites began to assess the damage and effect repairs to their city. Fortunately, Succession had done very little damage to the temple. Most of its damage came from artifacts and memorabilia smashed during the invasion. However, the death toll was worse, with many priests and worshippers having been killed in the fighting. Nevertheless, Preah Vihear's operations could be restarted to provide Magatsuhi for the town's inhabitants. With Angkor Wat liberated earlier, the town's demon inhabitants would not be lacking for food.

The town itself was in worse condition. Succession had attacked it primarily as a distraction from Preah Vihear. Many of the buildings had been damaged and more than a few had been levelled. Naoto picked through the rubble of one such ruin and found the body of a young child. Likely separated from his family by the outbreak of violence, the boy was severely burned, likely as a result of a demon. The boy was covered in blood, dead with an unrecognizable face.

"This is horrible!" said Rise.

"Yeah," said Naoto. "He never had a chance to grow up, never to become who or what he could have been. With the right Reason, maybe he wouldn't have suffered this fate?"

"Naoto?" asked Rise.

"A human life is too short," continued Naoto. "If there weren't silly things like this, maybe more people could reach their full potential. If people were more willing to help him, rather than waste time fighting each other, he could be something more. Yes, that is my Reason, that is 'Exaltation.'"

"It was bad, but now, this is great. You've given us something to fight for!" said Rise.

The demon hunters returned to Inaba from surveying the damage at Angkor Town. Yosuke called Chie on his cell phone. "Hello Chie, we've just come back from our mission in Angkor Town. How are you?"

"Tired," she replied. "I've been trying to take care of Yukiko and Ai while you were gone."

"What's wrong?" asked Naoki, overhearing the conversation from nearby.

"What happened?' asked Naoto.

"Yeah, the others want to know what happened," said Yosuke.

"Some time after you left, I went to look for Yukiko. Even after calling, her folks told me she was taking a bath in the hot springs. I went to look for her and found her and Ai unconscious on the floor near the springs. They must have caught a cold from that," replied Chie.

"We're coming over there to visit them, see ya soon," said Yosuke before hanging up.

Minutes later, Yosuke, Naoki, and Naoto arrived at the Amagi Inn. Yukiko's mother was tending to the front desk. They introduced themselves to her and she brought them to where Chie was staying, the living room for the Amagi family. "Hi guys!" said Chie. "Yukiko is in her room. We put Ai in one of the unused guest rooms."

"I know they caught a cold, but why were they unconscious in the baths?" asked Naoto.

"All they remembered was drinking water with Mitsuru in the springs before they felt sleepy and passed out. I found them and called for help."

"Mitsuru must have slipped them mickeys," said Naoto.

"Why would she do that?" asked Chie.

"She joined Yukari's side," replied Naoki. "She must have drugged our friends so she could make her getaway."

"What?" asked Chie incredulously.

"Aigis told us everything," replied Yosuke. "Before Mitsuru left, she took Aigis with her to meet Yukari. Mitsuru switched sides, but Aigis didn't and came back to warn us."

"I find it strange that Mitsuru and Yukari would let her leave like that," said Naoto.

"At the Taj Mahal, Yukari let us go without a fight. I guess she still sees them as friends," said Yosuke. "I don't think that will last."

"Yes, we'll have to confront them eventually," warned Naoto. "We've got a meeting tomorrow and I have an announcement to make then."

* * *

><p>18 Days After Conception<p>

The defenders of Inaba gathered in the strategy room of Sumaru Castle for the meeting. "Let's begin the meeting. Angkor Town has suffered significant damage from the attack by Succession. We've agreed to donate some of our Magatsuhi to them to help them while they restore their temples to working order. This sets us back a bit, unfortunately, but once Angkor Town is up and running, they will create all the Magatsuhi we need. While we don't know the status of the other Reasons, it's safe to assume they are getting very close to having what they need," said Saemon.

Saemon passed the floor over to Aigis. "Some of you might already know this, but Mitsuru has decided to join Yukari. She had slipped drugs into Yukiko and Ai's drinks so she could get away unnoticed. She took me to meet Yukari, but I refused to join."

Upon hearing this, Sanada could not help but interject. "That idiot! Now, she has to drag Mitsuru into this." Sanada could barely conceal the rage and frustration as he spoke. He seemed about ready to smash the table apart. "Saemon, Naoto, please take me along on missions. As their friend, I want to set them straight. I need to give them some tough love."

"Alright, but don't act reckless," said Saemon. "Maybe you can talk sense into them when Aigis couldn't."

"I don't see a problem with that either," replied Naoto.

"Don't worry," said Sanada reassuringly. "Aigis, will you back me in this?"

"Certainly," she replied.

"Everyone hates each other. Why can't we all get along?" asked Nanako.

"Nanako, it's not that I hate Mitsuru and Yukari. I know they're making a big mistake. It's like when your dad punishes you when you do a bad thing. I feel the same way about them," said Sanada.

"I don't like it either, Nanako, but everyone has a different idea about what our future should be," said Yuzu.

Naoto decided that now would be the right time to make her announcement. "I have an announcement to make. After seeing the situation in Angkor Town, I saw a dead boy among the ruins. I started thinking about how much he could have accomplished, if only this attack hadn't happen. I thought about how if people could help him meet his potential, he would use it so that everyone would have benefited in the end. I began to think that the world could be made into a place for people to develop their potential. So, I decided to call my Reason 'Exaltation' for the good it will do."

"So you wish to make the world a sort of training ground? You would get help to become strong, like a top-notch trainer? I can live with that," said Sanada.

"Me too," said Chie.

"I didn't agree with Yukari's reason, because it was too anarchistic," said Aigis. "Your Reason is much better. There would be something to guide people, but it wouldn't dictate their every action."

"I gave the power to control demons to the people because I believed they could use it to grow," said Saemon. "We'll get along just fine."

"I'm glad you see the potential of humans too, Naoto," said Atsuro. "There's more to us than meets the eye."

The rest of the defenders of Inaba unanimously agreed with Naoto's Reason of Exaltation. "Well, that settles it. From now on, we're Exaltation, the Reason which elevates humanity to greatness," said Saemon.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	22. Judge 6: Shard of Kagutsuchi

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 6: Shard of Kagutsuchi **

19 Days After Conception

Now, that the defenders of Inaba had finally developed their Reason, they christened their group after it. After a delicious lunch of sandwiches and drinks, Exaltation discussed their next move. "Okay, since everyone is here, let's discuss our strategy for the next few days," began Naoto. "Saemon, take the floor."

"Ahem, the Angkorites are making steady progress in restoring their town. Before the attack, we had 90% of the Magatsuhi needed to make the key, but fell back to 80% after donating to help Angkor Town. After they get the town restored, they will make enough to take us to 100% over the next few days. In comparison, Fushimi's agents had told him that the other Reasons are at 75% each. It's getting harder and harder for anyone to find new Magatsuhi caches. To get new ones, everyone would have to go beyond their lands or cross the Ocean of Origin."

"So that means no one can get to them," said Chie.

"Even on our demons, it would take us days to fly over the ocean one way," said Atsuro. "We might as well just wait for Angkor."

"Of course, that gives the other Reasons plenty of time to get the Magatsuhi they need. If they find the Shard of Kagutsuchi before we do, we're boned," warned Saemon. "That's why we must get our hands on it ASAP. Once we have it, we decide when the other Reasons can enter Kagutsuchi's Tower."

"Do we have any leads as to where the shard is?" asked Ai.

"None yet," replied Saemon. "Fushimi has mobilized his agents to search for leads. If they find anything, I'll let you know."

* * *

><p>20 Days After Conception<p>

The Amala network stretched in every direction for miles around. It was a vast labyrinth of golden corridors floating above a near infinite oceans of Magatsuhi. The Magatsuhi flowed like rapids, powerful enough to crush and sweep away anything unfortunate enough to be caught in its flow. This network, a sub-dimension, was connected to and acted as a super highway for the Vortex World. Other than the Magatsuhi rapids, the Amala network was mostly quiet and devoid of life.

An elephantine demon set foot into this vacant place, in search of Magatsuhi. This elephant man had a rotund blue body with violet stripes. The demon wore a matching loin cloth and golden anklets and bracers. This creature also had a single cyclopean eye which cast a piercing stare. He was armed with a scimitar. This creature was Girimehkala, a demon from Buddhist mythology, the mount of the demon Mara. His goal was to find Magatsuhi to feast on.

Girimehkala travelled through the network, searching for a font of Magatsuhi. Despite the ground being as clear as glass, it was indestructible. However, Magatsuhi would sometimes burst through the ground, creating a sort of spring that could be harvested. He travelled through the network for several minutes, but still could not find anything. After rounding a corner, he entered an octagonal room and spotted a geyser of blood red power shooting into the air. He had hit the jackpot.

The demon magically summoned cans and channelled the Magatsuhi into them. Slowly but surely, the can filled with the valuable blood-like substance. Suddenly, an object popped out of the Magatsuhi and landed within one of the cans. Girimehkala retrieved and examined it. The stone was a chunk of quartz which glowed with a white light which had a slight bluish tint. The stone appeared quite unusual. Thinking it rare and highly valuable, Girimehkala pocketed it and continued gathering Magatsuhi.

24 Days After Conception

After Girimehkala's discovery of the stone, he travelled around from shop to shop, but was not able to find anyone willing to buy it. Nevertheless, his efforts started rumours which eventually came to the attention of an Exaltation oni. The oni sipped his drink, seated in the corner of an Irish pub. The pub was in Green Town, controlling the area between the lands of Oneness and Exaltation. Green Town never allied with either Reason and so its land was a neutral zone. Nevertheless, it was caught in the middle as both Reasons raided the other in cross-border skirmishes.

Girimehkala sat in front of the oni and placed the stone between them so he could examine it. "Hmm, I think my boss might be interested in purchasing this stone," said the oni. "What would you like in exchange for it?"

"The only thing I want is Magatsuhi or Macca," replied the Girimehkala. "If your boss can give me six litres of Magatsuhi, I will trade them for the stone. I will also sell it if you can cough up 20,000 Macca."

"I think that can be arranged, let me speak with my boss and we'll meet tomorrow to arrange the deal," said the oni.

26 Days After Conception

Naoto and Yosuke sat in the corner of the Irish pub in Green Town, waiting for Girimehkala to arrive. The pub was a lively place, with people and demons seated in other booths chatting away. All of them drank freely from mugs of frothy beer. In the far corner, a man threw a dart at a board on the wall, scoring a hit to the twenty-point section above the centre. Opposite the darts player was Teddie, Chie, Yukiko, and Midori, who were in the booth neighbouring Naoto. Girimehkala entered the bar and took the seat across from Naoto.

He placed the stone, covered by a small rag, on the table. When he opened the stone, the stone glowed with a soft white light which had a faint blue tint. "Here is the stone. I trust that canister by your side is my Magatsuhi?" asked Girimehkala. "Yes," replied Naoto.

Yosuke opened the canister to show Girimehkala the contents. The Magatsuhi churned in crimson darkness, radiating a strong power about it. "Nice, that looks like the good stuff. It's been a pleasure doing business with you," remarked the Girimehkala, as he claimed the canister.

"Certainly," replied Naoto. As she, pocketed the stone.

Suddenly, the front door of the bar burst open, like something exploded near it. Naoto and company ducked under the seat to avoid random shrapnel which hurtled through the air. "What's going on?" asked Yukiko from the front booth.

People in the bar panicked and started to flee. Teddie scanned the area outside of the bar and spotted Ishtar. "Ishtar's here! They must have found out about the stone!" said Teddie telepathically to the others.

"Girimehkala, you'll have to come with us. Those people want the stone you sold to us," said Naoto.

"Okay, lead the way," he said.

Naoto peered out from behind the seat and fired at the Oneness demons, some ogres, who were approaching the bar. Her shots struck one in the chest and head, knocking him down. The ogre broke up into blobs of darkness which vanished into thin air. Teddie, Chie, Yukiko, and Midori leapt out from the booth hurling magic blasts at the Oneness demons. "Go on ahead. We'll hold them off!" said Midori.

An ogre rushed up to Midori and swung his club. She immediately covered up and got knocked across the ground. Black Frost suddenly appeared and spewed ice on the ogre's leg. The ogre tried to move, but the icy "shoe" held him in place. Black Frost grabbed Midori's hand and pulled her up. "Up you go, hee-ho!" said Black Frost.

Naoto, Yosuke, and Girimehkala fled out the back through an open door. They passed through the pub's kitchen and out through the back alley, which contained dumpsters for garbage. They took a left to go south, back towards where the Amala Drum was located. Back at the bar, the demons continued to assault the bar and Midori's group. "You guys, go around and check the back. Some them might have slipped out during the attack," Ishtar ordered.

A group of pink demons went around into the alley one building over. These demons were biped creatures which had heads shaped like a dog's. They were emancipated, yet had pot-bellies. Teddie could visualize them as they approached the first intersection. "Naoto, she just sent some demons called 'pretas' after you," he told them telepathically.

The pretas looked around the corner and heard footsteps coming from the south. They turned that way, following the sound to wherever the source led them. As Naoto and company burst onto the street, the pretas turned the previous corner and spotted them. "Crap, they found us!" said Yosuke as he and company continued running.

"How far is this drum?" asked Girimehkala.

"Not far. It's just a few blocks," informed Naoto as they ran.

They continued running with the numerous pretas bearing down on them. Naoto pointed to the right, leading the group into a side road, which led towards a Shinto temple. As they entered the front doors, they looked back and saw that the pretas had been joined by ogres and other types of demons. Girimehkala barricaded the front door, while Naoto and Yosuke fired from the windows. The pretas and other demons took cover behind trees and anything else that would protect them.

Some time later, the trio heard a commotion from the back. "Hey guys, it's us," said Teddie. "We took the long way to the back. There's a whole horde of demons coming after us."

"Barricade the door," said Yosuke back to Teddie.

"Already on it. Yukiko and Chie are throwing anything they can find to block the door. I'm trying to get the Amala Drum started. Hold them off until it's ready," said Teddie.

The demons outside fired at Naoto's group. Naoto responded by firing back through the window. In the central chamber of the temple, the Amala Drum's runes became completely red with the glow of Magatsuhi. "Teddie, is it ready yet?" asked Chie.

"It's on," he replied. "Let's get out of here!"

Naoto's group retreated into the central chamber, a vacant wood room with only whose only defining feature was the Amala Drum. The cylinder spun rapidly and the group vanished, pulled into the Amala network. Just as they disappeared, a preta smashed open the door and found nothing there. Girimehkala split from the group once they emerged out of the Amala Drum within Sumaru's basement. Naoto rushed to the lab and handed the stone to the scientist for study.

* * *

><p>31 Days After Conception<p>

In a mine far to the east of Angkor Town, Kagutsuchi shone brightly upon the barren land. Miners, from lost souls to Manikins, toiled away at stone and soil, seeking to uncover the treasures of the earth. Their pickaxes clinked against hard stone, chipping it away slowly and surely. A pile of stone rubble grew at their feet, many of which had traces of iron. Every few minutes, other miners would load carts with this ore and roll them back to the surface.

A troll foreman entered the work area. "Okay everybody, clear out. The boss wants the wall opened," announced the troll.

The miners vacated the area, allowing a group of specialists to enter the scene. The lost souls, former miners in life, drilled several holes into the most solid and sturdy wall of the digging site. Another screwed closed the tops of several cylindrical explosive charges. He planted the charges into each hole and ran wires down to a detonation console. The lost souls cleared the area and the demolitionist hit the button. A massive explosion ripped through the wall, blasting it into rubble.

When the area calmed, the specialists looked over. The explosives had opened a new space behind the stone wall, effectively extending the tunnel. The was rubble strewn all across the tunnel, most of it concentrated by the former wall as expected. At the far end of the tunnel, wedged in the rock, was a single stone which glowed white with a slight blue tint. Some lost souls came to investigate this mysterious stone, but didn't know what it was or why it was there. It didn't look like any known mineral or substance, which baffled the souls.

33 Days After Conception

With Sanada and Aigis in tow, Saemon walked down the rocky road of the mountains. At their current location, they were close to Exaltation's border with the Reason of Succession. Fushimi had reported that the miners working an iron mine in this region had discovered a strange item. It was a stone which glowed with a light much like that of Kagutsuchi's. Their guide led them down the roads to an office, where clerks completed all of the paperwork necessary for the mine to continue operating.

The leader of the operation was a basilisk demon. He was a yellow lizard with wavy brown stripes running across his body. He opened the safe and presented the stone to Saemon. "This is yours, King of Bel. If this will help you establish your Reason, it will do much more good in your hands," said the basilisk.

"Thank you," replied Saemon.

"So, is this the Shard of Kagutsuchi we're looking for?" asked Sanada.

"Possibly," replied Saemon. "We won't know for sure until we have it checked out."

"We should leave now," said Aigis.

As the trio walked out of the basilisk's office, an arrow came directly for them! Aigis sidestepped the arrow. It continued towards Saemon, who was following behind. It struck an invisible barrier and turned around towards a rock and struck it. While it didn't cause any harm, the arrow's return path served to identify the shooter's location. The shooter was Yukari, in the form of Black Maria. She peeked out and released a second arrow. Saemon walked out with his arm outstretched. He deflected the arrow again, causing Yukari to take cover again.

"Yukari!" cried Sanada as he left the office.

"I can not allow you take that stone," said Yukari, hidden in cover behind the stone.

"Don't be an idiot! Lucifer's just using you. When he's done, you'll be left with nothing. Give up this silly crusade," said Sanada.

"You're the idiot!" replied Yukari. "You're nothing but a chicken, too scared to live under a new system. I'm tired of being put down by things like Nyx and God. I'm fighting back!"

"The old system let us do what we want, but still allowed for a to return to a clean slate. Once you put Lucifer in charge, that all ends. I've known you a long time, Yukari, and I know you're stubborn. I doubt you'll listen to me," said Sanada. "I don't like to hurt my friends, but you give me no choice. Consider this tough love from a friend."

"...And even if you're my friend, I won't lose to you! Mitsuru, now!" cried Yukari.

A jet of ice suddenly came out of the blue! Saemon's legs were encased in ice, rendering him immobile. "What?" he muttered in surprise.

As he struggled with the ice, a new demon suddenly teleported in. Saemon recognized him as Nergal, one of Beelzebub's chief lieutenants. This demon was a slender, bearded man dressed in a red priest's kilt. He had purple skin which had demonic, secondary faces growing out of it. He carried a sacrificial kris dagger in his right hand. Nergal hurled a whirling green wave of force at Saemon. It shattered the ice and carried him through the office building, leaving smashed wooden and rocky debris in its wake.

Yukari unloaded a volley of arrows at Sanada. He caught one of them. Two more came and he caught them too. He threw two of them back at Yukari, forcing her to take cover behind the rock. Sanada advanced to fight in close quarters. Yukari fired more arrows, which Sanada plucked out of the air. Another arrow came, but he leapt up high and avoided it. He landed next to Yukari and snatched the arrow out of the spectral bow. Sanada threw a right-left jab pair, which she dodged, and then a right hook, which caught her chin. Yukari floated backwards, stumbling from the assault.

While Sanada rushed Yukari, Aigis found Mitsuru, hiding in the branches of some trees. She pelted the area with bullets. The branches and leaves ripped apart, taking out Mitsuru's footing from under her. She fell, but landed on her feet, crouching to break her momentum. Aigis charged forward with guns blazing. Mitsuru covered herself as bullets impacted her like hard taps to her body. She hurled ice at Aigis, who sidestepped. Mitsuru hurled more ice, eventually hitting and freezing shut the barrel of Aigis' arm cannon.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, Atsuro and Yuzu spotted the explosions in the distance. "That was from the office!" said Atsuro. "Let's go!"<p>

Yuzu noticed something moving in the corner of her eye. She looked over at the entrance of a condemned mine at a lower level and saw several robed figures entering. "Those were Gaia Cultists, weren't they?" asked Yuzu.

Atsuro looked over at the mine entrance. "Yeah, I want to go help Saemon, but if they're up to something, we can't leave them alone either."

Yuzu turned on a radio. "Saemon can you hear me?" asked Yuzu.

The sound of some explosions came through from the other end. "Yeah, I'm a bit busy," replied Saemon. "Oh sh..."

A loud thud came over from the other side. "Saemon, we saw Gaian cultists trying to enter the mine. What should we do?"

"Follow them, I can take care of this," replied Saemon.

Atsuro and Yuzu dropped down to the valley below and entered the mine tunnel. The mines were lit by a series of electric lights connected together by wires to a generator outside. The mine was otherwise dark and had walls of earth and stone. The walls near the entrance had unusual, marked spaces on them. They were markers for where explosive charges would be planted to collapse the mine entrance. A mysterious rumbling rippled throughout the mine, almost like an earthquake, yet not. It was likely that this was the reason for the mine's condemnation.

The cultists had left footprints on the dusty ground as they moved deeper into the mine. In the deepest chamber, a metal fence protected a cliff which opened into a lower area. At the right was a natural rock ramp which provided access to the lower area. There was much rubble on the ground below from miners who once worked in the site. The cultists were using picks to punch a hole in the ground. Several Amala Drums had been set up around the area.

When Atsuro and Yuzu finally entered the site, the cultists had pierced through the ground. A dark, crimson light filled the stony chamber. A bloody geyser burst up from below, to the celebrating cheers of the cultists. Atsuro and Yuzu immediately understood why the cultists wanted to come here. Others activated the drums and sucked in the Magatsuhi produced by the geyser. Atsuro and Yuzu called in their demons and ran down to ambush the Gaians.

One of the cultists spotted them coming down the ramp. "Up there! Enemies!" he cried, pointing at Yuzu and Atsuro.

Some of the cultists grabbed the full drums, and bolted towards a nearby tunnel. Two of them stayed behind and called in demons to fight against the two. One cultist called in a pair of Ananta, large multiheaded blue cobras, to block the tunnel. The other called in a pair of Murmurs. The Murmurs looked like knights in bluish plate armour who were mounted on griffons. They also wore gold crowns and had swords sheathed on their belts. They weren't human, but rather a pair of fallen angels.

"Oh great, Snakes," said Atsuro, glancing at his comp. "Those things will be a pain to get past."

He hurled blasts of violet, almighty energy through palm thrusts. The cultist blocked the Almighty Hits and moved closer to engage. The cultist threw a jab, which Atsuro blocked. He tried again, but Atsuro sidestepped and moved in with a right hook. The cultist staggered back, but quickly threw a feinted punch. Atsuro backed away as anticipated, and the cultist charged in to grab his legs. The cultist lifted him up, slamming him to the ground.

Atsuro suddenly reared back his legs and kicked the cultist away before scrambling to his feet. The cultist projected Almighty Hits of his own, which Atsuro blocked. The cultist hurled electricity and Atsuro blocked this attack as well. It stung much more, and he could feel his muscles contract slightly. Atsuro's opponent kept up the voltage, but he fought through it, forcing the enemy to stop. Atsuro rushed forward and connected a right hook to the chin.

A Murmur projected an almighty blast at Yuzu, who blocked. Yuzu blew a flirtatious kiss in return. Her victim became surrounded by a series of pink hearts. The Marin Karin enchanted Murmur, who immediately turned to the other Murmur and slashed at him. The other Murmur quickly blocked, surprised by his ally's sudden and unexpected betrayal. That other Murmur quickly parried a slash from Mahakala and pushed the scimitar away.

Surt landed a slash to one Ananta's neck, severing the head. He dodged Ananta's lunging bite, and followed with a overhead chop, cleaving the snake right down the middle. The other Ananta snapped at Yaksini, who sidestepped. She pounced on the head and sliced through it in a severing arc. When she landed on the ground, she rushed forward in a flurry of slashes, cutting Ananta to pieces. Atsuro scored a body shot and then a left hook to the cultist's chin. He moved close and hurled the cultist onto the cliff.

The tunnel was finally clear. "Let's go, Saemon might need us," cried Atsuro.

"Coming!" she called back in response. She hurled electricity at her opponents, which stunned them. Rendered immobile, her foes could only watch as she and her demons went to pursue the other cultists.

* * *

><p>Sanada had been bloodied and bruised from his fight with Yukari. He had taken several near hits from her arrows and thrown around by wind magic. Yukari was in no better shape. Sanada was a champion high school boxer and threw haymakers with every punch. Both former members of SEES were unwilling to back down, despite fatigue setting in. The two stared each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. The two circled each other in a stalemate until suddenly, a boom rang out from where Saemon was battling.<p>

Hercules descended in a heap just behind Yukari, forcefully hurled out of his battle with Saemon. He laid in the centre of a massive crater, groaning in agony from the wounds he had suffered. "Yukari," addressed Leanan Sidhe. "Our men have escaped with the Magatsuhi, but Saemon's friends came to reinforce him. We're being crushed. We should retreat!"

"Okay, let Mitsuru know," Yukari replied. "We'll finish this later, Akihiko."

Yukari and Hercules vanished in bursts of blue light. "Come back!" cried Sanada.

"Are you guys okay?" asked Saemon as he came over with his friends.

"Yeah, you look like you took a beating yourself," remarked Sanada.

"No kidding, I got mobbed by Yukari's goons. Once Atsuro and Yuzu came along, it turned the tables on them," replied Saemon.

"Yukari wasn't just here to get the shard. She was also here for Magatsuhi," said Yuzu.

"What?" asked Aigis as she approached the ruined office. Several of her joints were sparking with electricity and she seemed far less coordinated than usual. Yuzu rushed over and started to apply Dia magic to repair her.

"Some Gaians entered a condemned mine while you were busy with Yukari. They got Magatsuhi from an underground geyser. When tried to follow, but we got tangled up in a fight and lost them. We decided to check on Saemon," replied Yuzu.

"So, this battle was also a distraction?" asked Sanada.

"Sort of," replied Atsuro. "They wanted the stone, but if they couldn't get it, at least they could distract us from the Magatsuhi."

"I had no idea there was Magatsuhi here. Now, I'm certain they have enough to make a key to the tower. At least we got this stone and Naoto's, so they climb can't enter the tower until we're ready," said Saemon. "Hopefully, one of them is the right one."

"Good, we should head back and recover," said Sanada.

* * *

><p>43 Days After Conception<p>

Now that Exaltation had both stones, the other Reasons were trapped. They could not enter Kagutsuchi's Tower, not until they summoned it. After Fushimi's scientists examined the stone, they found that Naoto's stone matched Kagutsuchi's emissions perfectly. The one at the mine was a red herring. It was merely a star sapphire that had been heavily altered by the Magatsuhi in the mine. Just a few days later, the Angkorites had produced enough Magatsuhi for Saemon to create the key to Kagutsuchi's tower.

Exaltation travelled to the top of a multi-story parking structure near Junes and placed the drums of Magatsuhi at the side. The parking structure had been emptied to ensure Saemon had enough room to do what he needed. He held up his hand, drawing out the Magatsuhi like blood seeping from a wound. It flowed along the ground and drew a pentagram. It started to rise upward and form a vertical stalk with a clear orb on top. Within the orb, a key of red took form, becoming tangible enough to hold.

"It's done. Naoto, all that's left is for you to claim the key," said Saemon.

Naoto reached into the sphere. Upon making contact, a blinding white light flashed. When it cleared, Naoto found herself in the Velvet Room. She was seated across from Igor and Margaret as usual. Igor smiled, being quite pleased with how Naoto's Wild Card potential was becoming fulfilled. "Welcome to the Velvet Room," introduced Igor.

"What happened? Why am I here?" asked Naoto.

"You are about to embark on the final leg of your journey. Though you have won many battles, more still await you before you can finally win the war." The distant sound of shelling and gunfire died down after Igor spoke these words. "Margaret, let's review what our guest has accomplished so far."

Margaret opened the book on her lap. The Fool and Fortune Cards flew out from it and showed themselves to Naoto. Six other cards flew out and encircled the Fool and Fortune. Starting from the top and going clockwise, they were the Magician, Priestess, Chariot, Emperor, Star, and Lovers. "As you started your journey, many friends came along with you to help you on the way." Superimposed over these cards were the ghostly faces of Yosuke, Yukiko, Chie, Kanji, Teddie, and Rise respectively.

"You soon met others who supported you and gave you the strength to carry on," continued Margaret. The first cards piled behind the Fool and three more flew out and formed a triangle. They were the Justice, Hanged Man, and Moon in clockwise order. These cards had the ghostly pictures of Nanako, Naoki, and Ai. "These friends supported you as you learned the nature of your journey and the battles you would face. Then, came a turning point." The previous cards filed behind the Fool.

The Temperance, Empress, and Hierophant Cards appeared before Naoto in a triangle surrounding the Fool. Superimposed over them were the faces of the Survivors, Mitsuru, and Dojima respectively. They and the Fool's cards filed behind Temperance, allowing room for Death and the Tower to fly out and flank Temperance. Superimposed over them were the Vortex world and the natural disasters caused by the Conception respectively.

"You met more friends, but even as the world you knew came to an end, your journey did not, for it would lead you to the dawn of the next world," continued Margaret.

All of the cards piled behind Temperance. The Judgement Card flew out of Margaret's book, taking a position above Temperance. The rest of the cards filed behind Judgement, allowing it to take centre stage. "To reach the new world, you made a critical choice. Now, all that remains is to see your journey to its completion."

"Yes," continued Igor. "In the waking world, you have been granted a new power. I will shape this power so you may use it properly."

Magatsuhi flowed from out of Naoto and onto Igor's desk. Igor concentrated intently, shaping the Magatsuhi into a swirling disc. He slowly reshaped the disc until it took on the rectangular dimensions of a tarot card. Igor flipped the card over, revealing that it was the World. The image of a naked, beautiful blonde woman appeared over the card. The woman had a pair of white wings like that of a dove. She radiated light and a sense of divinity and wisdom.

The angelic woman was a new Persona. "I am Sophia, the Mother of Wisdom. You, who seeks to elevate all of mankind, be blessed with my wisdom. Go forth, and bring the World of Exaltation into being."

The Velvet Room vanished in a haze and Naoto found herself at the summoning site. When she regained her awareness, Sophia was perched over her body, radiating a wholesome light across the parking lot. "Is that your new Persona?" asked Sanada.

"Yes," replied Naoto. "Her name is Sophia. She's a holy Persona, who uses banishment, healing, and almighty magic."

"She looks quite powerful," remarked Kanji. "I'm not complaining. We need every advantage we can get."

"Yeah," said Saemon. "Fushimi has started preparations for this journey. The tower is so massive, it would take days just to climb it."

"Wow, is it really that tall?" asked Rise.

"Yeah, and wait 'til you scan it," replied Saemon. "Not only that, we have to compete with the other Reasons. At least there are way stations we can rest at with Amala Drums. We don't need to climb the whole thing all at once."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	23. Judge 7: Past, Present, and Future

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 7: Past, Present, and Future **

50 Days After Conception

The members of Exaltation gathered around a lone pedestal which overlooked the vast Ocean of Origin, the waters which covered the centre of the Vortex World. After days of preparation, they were ready to make the final leg of their journey, the ascent of the Tower of Kagutsuchi. Once the stone had been placed, the tower would rise from the centre of these waters as a path to Kagutsuchi. Everyone was filled with anticipation and anxiety.

Saemon turned to Naoto and presented her with the Shard of Kagutsuchi. "Naoto, as the Reason bearer, you should do the honours. Place the stone on top of that pedestal."

Naoto nodded and claimed the stone from Saemon's hands and gently placed it on the stone pedestal. The four clasps on the pedestal sprang to life and fastened the stone into place. The stone glowed even more brightly than ever. The waters in the far distance started to bubble and part as an undersea tremor rocked the area. Mt. Iwato started to rise from the depths. From the mountain arose a massive dark grey, almost black, structure, a monolithic mechanical tower. The structure was adorned with circuitry-like patterns through which vast amounts of Magatsuhi flowed to the heavens.

Another tremor shook the land beneath Exaltation. The Ocean of Origin started to part in a line. A lengthy structure arose from the depths, section by section. The structure appeared to be a bridge leading out to the tower and had a similar design. The bridge became aglow as the power of Magatsuhi flowed through its circuitry. "This is the way to the tower. Let's hurry!" urged Saemon.

57 Days after Conception

The bridge was so long, the convoy's trip took a week to complete. As they neared the tower, they caught glimpses of its massive height, which absolutely boggled the mind. It was the tallest structure any of them had ever seen. It was so tall, even a mountain was dwarfed by its sheer height. It obstructed Kagutsuchi's light, casting a shadow large enough to cover the entire island. Exaltation approached one of Mt. Iwato's cavernous openings, which enclosed an entrance of the tower. A metal portcullis with a keyhole covered the entrance.

Rise summoned her Persona, Kanzeon, and began to probe the tower for information. "Wow, this thing is huge!" remarked Rise.

"I can't even see the top," said Akihiko. "Just how tall is this thing?"

"It's 777 floors high!" replied Rise, after scanning the structure.

"What?" asked Yuzu incredulously. "You've got to be kidding!"

"Even Tartarus was only 260," remarked Akihiko. "777 is like three Tartaruses stacked on top of each other."

"I'm not kidding. That thing really is 777 floors high and some floors are massive," assured Rise.

"We gotta climb all that? On foot? Oh God!" exclaimed Yosuke, who was about ready to collapse before even setting foot past the door.

"It'll take us days to get up to the top," remarked Chie. "How will we make it?"

Nanako brought out her Persona, Cherub, and started to scan the tower with Rise. "Don't worry," replied Nanako. "I see elevators. Some can go as high up as twenty floors, so we can skip many of the floors. There are also rest stops with Amala Drums where we can rest and get supplies."

This time, Nanako and Rise probed further up the tower's interior, to make a note of what they could expect to see inside. The Tower of Kagutsuchi was 777 floors high, but was divided into seven sections, called "Heavens," each 111 floors in height. Nanako listed the Heavens as Vilon, Rakia, Shehaqim, Zebul, Maon, Machon, and Araboth, from lowest to highest. Only the Heavens of Vilon, Rakia, and Araboth maintained consistent form. The others were in a chaotic, constantly changing state of flux.

Vilon looked like the interior of castles and forts from the feudal eras of various nations. In particular, the area behind the portcullis resembled a Japanese-styled feudal castle with its wooden corridors. The 111th floor was a lush green countryside. The 112nd floor was the exterior and base of a modern skyscraper. Most of Rakia was contained within this skyscraper. Its top opened straight to the street level of a vast, modern city. The city was so vast, that neither girl could completely scan it in its entirety.

The last section, Araboth, was flooded by blinding light, but Nanako and Rise could make out clouds and a few unidentified golden objects. "Since Araboth is the top Heaven, I'm not surprised that it's so bright," remarked Atsuro. "You're looking directly at Kagutsuchi."

"It looks like every 111th floor is a large world," said Nanako. "These floors are much, much bigger than the others."

"The 777th floor looks like it's inside of Kagutsuchi," said Rise. "Come to think of it, it looked like the place from my dream, right before I woke up."

"Yeah, what we see as the sun is actually Kagutsuchi's outer shell," said Saemon. "When we reach the roof, we'll actually be inside his shell."

"So we're really going inside the sun?" asked Kanji.

"Yep," replied Saemon. "Oh, don't worry, we're not going to get burnt. Kagutsuchi is expecting guests."

Naoto used the key on the lock. The portcullis glowed red as Magatsuhi flowed into it and arose with a clang. When Exaltation stepped inside, they were greeted with a labyrinth of wooden corridors. All of the wood had a glossy finish applied to it, which gave it its dark brown colour. Torches were spaced evenly along the walls, casting light up on the dark corridors. Magatsuhi circuitry ran along the walls and across the floor of every corridor. With the Magatsuhi was the deepest sensation of anticipation. Every demon could feel it in their very being, for the time of creation was nigh.

"The nearest elevator is to the south," informed Nanako. "We have to hurry. There are other people entering the tower now."

* * *

><p>111th Floor, Vilon<p>

Exaltation raced through the first 110 floors of the tower without incident. They now stood before the elevator which led to the next floor. The elevator wasn't such and more like an old-fashioned pulley system which raised and lowered a wooden platform between the current level and the one above. It was operated by a nearby lever. The platform lifted them into the audience room of a Japanese feudal lord. Several cushions were laid out in a pair of rows, across from and flanking the central stool when the leader sat.

"The next elevator is in a cave to the north," announced Nanako. "We have to pass through town and a bamboo forest before we can reach it."

The team followed Nanako's instructions out of the castle. They passed through the local town, which consisted of wooden, shack-like homes from feudal Japan. It had a nostalgic and historical charm about it, evoking the days of samurai, shoguns, and the Sengoku Period. They followed the central major road, which led out of town and through a grassy plain. Eventually, the group entered a bamboo forest. The thick, wild growth of the bamboo impeded their progress greatly. The only way through was to call in their demons and Persona and have them cut their way through.

They eventually made their way to the cave Nanako had described. It had been formed out of the mountain side, surrounded and concealed by the bamboo forest. It was noticeably different from the architecture of the rest of Vilon. This elevator looked much more modern, like the ones used in mines. It had yellow guard railings which kept its contents from falling out. It also had an electronic panel with buttons for operating the device. The area was also lit by electrical lights rather than torches. When the first group boarded, Rise hit the button and the elevator rose to the next floor.

* * *

><p>222nd Floor, Rakia<p>

Exaltation exited a cavern on the 112th floor. They found selves at the base of a massive skyscraper in the middle of a vacant, grassy plain. The interior of the building was a typical lobby with a desk for security and reception. The building appeared to be completely empty. It was eerily quiet, yet lit by wall and roof-mounted electrical lights, as well as the crimson glow of Magatsuhi circuitry. There were written forms and memos on the reception desk such as a bill from the attached restaurant.

Exaltation climbed the skyscraper and found that the rest of Rakia was no different from the interior of a typical hotel. The floors had red carpeting and were largely a set of hallways to connect the rooms and elevators together. They passed through the area without incident, reaching the 222nd floor of the tower. Instead of ascending to the roof of the hotel, they had ascended into the interior of what appeared to be a hospital. They were in the lobby, which was as empty and quiet as the hotel, yet the lights were on, keeping the lobby lit along with the Magatsuhi circuitry.

When they left the hospital, they came face to face with what appeared to be a large, modern city. The signs were all written in Japanese, ranging from mere convenience store signs to posters on a bank's windows. The city itself was as quiet and devoid of life as the hospital and hotel. Nobody was around for miles around, yet the city was well-kept and everything was in order. Even the traffic lights were functioning, but only for the sake of empty vehicles on the road. Nothing was present to suggest anything unusual had taken place here.

"Hey look, I see Tokyo Tower," said Yuzu, pointing out the structure from the skyline. "We must be in Tokyo!"

"Nanako, which way are we supposed to go?" asked Dojima.

"The closest elevator is far away, in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building."

"City hall?" asked Yuzu. "That's pretty far from here. We'd need a car."

Atsuro looked over at the hospital's parking lot and found several vehicles just waiting to be used. "No one here... I doubt they'll mind if we borrow their cars." Atsuro sent an Almighty Hit through the driver side window of a red compact. He reached over the broken glass and popped open the door. He then pulled out the steering wheel and began joining two exposed wires together. The compact's engine started up. "Yuzu, why don't you take this one and lead the way?"

Exaltation drove Atsuro's hot-wired cars down the streets of Tokyo with Yuzu leading the way in her red compact. The journey went without incident until they reached the halfway point of the trip. A Manikin had spotted them from the rooftops and called over to friends. As Yuzu's vehicle approached, more Manikin peered out of the windows and opened fire. The gun shots rang out through the neighbourhood. The bullets pelted her vehicle and put out its left rear tire.

Yuzu skid to a stop and ducked below the dashboard. "Get down!" she cried.

Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko, followed her lead. More shots pierced the glass, shattering the shards all over them. Yuzu pressed a button on her comp, releasing Mahakala and Suzaku onto the street. The other Survivors released demons too, who fanned out in search of the shooters. Mahakala spotted a muzzle flash from the fifth story window of an apartment building. He sent a fireball that way, which exploded within the apartment surely taking out the shooter.

More Manikin closed on the stopped convoy, firing submachine guns at it. Dojima raced out of the car, shielding Nanako as he hustled her out of the line of fire. He took cover in an alley as Sanada followed behind, returning fire. Dojima peered out and fired at a Manikin stationed at the roof of a coffee shop across the street. His bullets shattered some flower pots next to the shooter, who ducked to avoid being hit. The Manikin peered out and resumed fire, but couldn't hit Dojima, protected behind the corner of the alley.

Lightning crackled out of Saemon's fingertips as it arced towards the second floor of a family-owned convenience store. The shooter ducked for cover and waited for a few seconds before peering out again. When he did, Saemon saw him and sent a fireball his way. The shooter ducked for cover again. The fireball hit the window's side and fizzled. The shooter peeked out and fired at the bar, Saemon was hiding in. Saemon moved behind the wall, which the bullets hit harmlessly.

Chie noticed the shooter and hurled a ball of ice into his window. It exploded within, crackling and hissing as icy mist burst outward. The shooter had been chilled to point of collapse. "Good work, Chie," said Saemon.

Dojima fired again, scoring a hit to his foe's heart. The Manikin lost composure and fell off of the roof. Feeling no more activity coming from the cafe, Dojima cast Rakukaja and Tetrakarn to enclose his group around protective blue and golden barriers. He pointed to an alley across the street. Sanada nodded and the three made a beeline for it. A Manikin gunman spotted them and fired from roof above and behind. The bullets that connected had exposed the Tetrakarn barrier, reflecting off and forcing him to hide from his own shots.

Once it was safe again, the shooter peeked out to fire, unaware that someone was approaching his exposed back. That person was Yosuke, who hit him with a blast of air. The shooter was blown off of the roof and onto the street harshly. Yosuke leapt to the next rooftop, pushing down another shooter in the same way. The remaining Manikin turned their weapons on him. Yosuke covered up as bullets came fast and furiously. Even though resistant to them, they still stung quite a bit when they connected. Suzaku dove down and knocked the Manikin to the ground.

As Manikin numbers fell, the gunshots started to die down in frequency. "Dad, there's only two left. They're hiding in the first floor of the convenience store two buildings up the street. If you slip in through the back, you can catch them off guard. They will be too busy shooting at Naoto to notice you."

Sanada, Dojima, and Nanako quietly made their way to the back door of the store. Nanako watched as the Manikins peered out and returned fire against Naoto. Nanako gave the word and the two officers stormed the building. "Hands up! Drop your weapons!" demanded Dojima.

The Manikin immediately complied. "Outside!" commanded Sanada.

The shooters walked out, arms raised in surrender, right into Naoto's line of fire. Dojima and Sanada remained behind them, keeping guns trained on them constantly. Naoto came out to interrogate them. "Who are you?" asked Naoto. "Why were you shooting at us?"

The Manikin didn't answer. "Tell us who you are and we might let you live," demanded Sanada.

The Manikin still didn't answer. "Naoto, watch the other guy. I'm get mine to talk," said Dojima, handing his gun to Naoto for safe keeping.

Frustrated, Dojima shoved his Manikin, a mohawked man, into the nearest wall. After he delivered several hard punches to the gut, the Manikin slumped to the ground. "Tell us!" he demanded. "Who are you?"

The Manikin gasped in pain. "Okay, I'll talk... We're Manikin of the Reason of Sovereignty," replied the Manikin.

"Manikin can't create a Reason. The Great Will won't allow it," said Sanada.

"You're a naysayer, just like the others, but we'll show you. God has forsaken us and this world. He does not care. If we are to survive, it is up to us. We'll MAKE Kagutsuchi establish our Reason, whether he wants to or not," said the mohawked Manikin. "Then, we Manikin will rule the world. We will live in peace and the demons will never trample on us again! We will eliminate all who stand in our path!"

"You're wasting your time," said an approaching voice. Dojima looked over and saw Saemon, coming forward to confront the Manikin. "Kagutsuchi won't just establish your Reason simply because you tell him to. I doubt you even have the power to force his hand. How did you get into the tower? Do you even have any demons helping you?"

"We don't need demons to establish our Reason," said the mohawked Manikin. "You fools did all the work for us."

"I think I've heard enough," said Dojima.

"What should we do? They might cause trouble if we let them follow us up the tower," said Sanada.

"Don't worry," replied Saemon. His eyes became aglow with a cold grey light. The bodies of the two Manikin slowly transformed from flesh to stone. "They won't be bothering anyone now."

* * *

><p>333rd Floor, Shehaqim<p>

Exaltation entered the next Heaven, Shehaqim, and came face to face with its plated, silvery metallic hallways and corridors. As Exaltation traversed this Heaven, the ground clanged with each step. A set of pipes travelled down the roof, carrying unknown fluids from their source to supply the rest of the region. Like the other Heavens, Shehaqim also had Magatsuhi circuits running across its corridors. In this Heaven, the Magatsuhi circuitry seemed much more appropriate and fitting for this environment.

They emerged at the top floor of a modern elevator and found themselves beneath some kind of metallic vehicle. As they fanned out to examine it, they found that the vehicle had a disc-like shape, like that of a metallic saucer. At its top was a small raised cockpit with windows for the vehicle's pilot. The saucer was currently at rest, stationed on top of a dozen landing gears. Its size was comparable to that of modern jetliners. It appeared to have no visible form of propulsion.

"Wow!" remarked Atsuro, looking over this vehicle. "A flying saucer!"

"This is a space port," said Rise. "We're in Hangar A of the Tokyo Intergalactic Space Port."

"Feudal Japan, modern Tokyo, and now a space port?" asked Kanji rhetorically. "I can't believe this is all inside a tower."

"Hard to believe, but yeah," replied Rise.

"So, this is Japan of the future?" asked Kanji.

"Sort of," replied Nanako. "This is the world that will be created under our Reason."

"Really?" asked Yosuke. "It's like something out of a sci-fi show."

"Maybe because of my Reason, mankind began to colonize others planets sooner than in the old world," said Naoto.

"The next elevator is in the north. It's inside of a space ship docked at the Kennedy Intergalactic Space Port. It's really far, so we'll need a car to get there," said Rise.

"Are there any nearby, like in a parking lot?" asked Atsuro.

"Yeah, there's a parking lot underneath the terminal to the south," replied Rise. "Lots of vehicles there, but it's still a long walk on foot. There's some carts for the maintenance workers in the garage at the south end of the hangar."

The group entered the garage Rise had described. It was a dirty space with random parts and tools hung on the walls and strewn over the tables. Nearby was a small parking area for carts which had been repaired recently. Each cart could comfortably seat a driver and three passengers. Surprisingly, none of them used tires. Instead, they had four output pipes which pointed towards the ground like thrusters. Atsuro opened the engine compartment of one of the vehicles. Instead of an engine, he found a cylindrical power core with a starter battery.

"Are you sure we can use these things?" asked Yosuke. "They don't have tires!"

"They don't need them. They run on anti-gravity," replied Rise.

"Anti-gravity?" asked Yosuke.

"Yep," replied Atsuro.

"So they fly?" asked Yuzu.

"Not fly, more like float," replied Atsuro. "It still needs to be near the ground to guide its movement."

He closed the engine compartment and retrieved a key from the nearby dispatch area. He sat in the driver's seat and applied the key to the ignition. The cart started with a hum and rose just slightly above the ground. As a test, Atsuro drove the vehicle in circles around the parking lot. He found that they had next to no inertia, particularly when he tried to make an abrupt stop. These carts could literally stop on a dime, a jarring difference in performance and feel from standard cars.

"How was it?" asked Yuzu.

"A bit weird. It takes some time to get used to it," remarked Atsuro. "Otherwise, it's like driving any normal car."

The team drove the carts to the large underground parking lot that Rise had described. It was filled larger vehicles with propulsion systems similar to the anti-gravity carts. Unfortunately, there were no keys for any of these vehicles, so Atsuro did the next best thing. He smashed open a van's driver side window with an Almighty Hit and popped the door open. He opened the steering mechanism and hot-wired the vehicle into ignition. The engine started with a soft hum.

"Nice work," remarked Saemon.

"Thanks," said Atsuro. "I'll rig up a few more."

Atsuro made similar "modifications" to other anti-gravity vehicles. Exaltation drove all the way down city streets and cross-country highways. "There's a hotel up ahead with an Amala Drum. We should stop there to rest," said Nanako.

* * *

><p>The next day, Exaltation woke up bright and early, eager to ascend to the next Heaven. However, their support members had detected danger around Kennedy Space Port. "There are lots of Shadows guarding the space port," informed Rise. "There are two main types, the Space Fuzz and the Electro Turrets. Most of the Turrets patrol the landing areas and streets nearby. Some of the Fuzz patrol with the Turrets, but most occupy buildings. Nanako will tell you more about the Shadows."<p>

"The Space Fuzz look like space marines from a sci-fi show. They're armed with laser guns. They are resistant to physical, wind, and fire attacks and immune to ice-based attacks," said Nanako. "The Electro Turrets look like tanks. They're resistant to physical and electric attacks."

"There is also a Powered Armour Fuzz among the normal ones," informed Rise. "He's larger than the others, wears powered armour, and is armed with a laser minigun. He's immune to physical, fire, and ice-based attacks."

"What is the layout of the space port? What are their patrol paths?" asked Saemon.

Rise, Nanako, and Teddie briefed everyone on his questions. The north side of the space port had six major hangars for maintenance of saucers. The one they wanted was Hangar 2, which had an elevator up into the Heaven of Zebul. South of the hangars was the saucer launch area and further south was the space port terminal. The Powered Armour was patrolling the middle of the launch area. Several Electro Turrets and Space Fuzz patrols crossed this area. More Space Fuzz were holed up in the terminal and would rush out as reinforcements.

"I'll bring Fushimi's men over to attack the terminal. We'll approach from the other flanks," said Saemon.

After discussing strategy in the hotel, Exaltation moved out to claim the space port. Fushimi and Izuna's unit took places by several windows facing the southern part of the terminal. They could see several humanoid Shadows in space suits patrolling the terminal. One strayed into a soldier's crosshairs and the soldier fired. The Fuzz immediately collapsed from shock. The others scrambled for cover wherever they could find it. Countless beams of red light, lasers, sailed out of the terminal from the weapons of the Space Fuzz.

Behind the terminal, the Powered Armour listened to radio messages from the terminal guards. At that moment, another explosion resounded through the air, coming from the space port's western side. Several nearby Fuzz moved to investigate. Lightning surged into one of the Fuzz, blasting him to ash. Laser beams returned back in a deadly light show. The Powered Armour moved westward to confront the western invasion force. He spotted Kanji, shooting lightning at another of the defending Space Fuzz.

The Powered Armour raised his minigun and rained beams of energy. They pelted Kanji's right, staggering him. He covered himself, finally noticing the presence of the Powered Armour. The shots continued fast and furiously with no end in sight, burning with each hit. Yuzu spotted the Powered Armour and hurled Wind Cutters. The Powered Armour ignored the first to continue firing, but the second made him flinch and release the trigger.

Suzaku suddenly descended and raked him. The hit did no harm, but it still staggered him momentarily. A Turret turned towards Suzaku and fired lightning. It caught the Vermillion Bird's chest, momentarily stunning him. He quickly shook it off and retreated. Another lightning bolt zinged past, missing by just a few centimetres. Suzaku created distance and exhaled a blast of flame. The Electro Turret was engulfed and surrounded by the flames. Yet moments later, it somehow drove out with only moderate damage and scorch marks on its chassis.

Surt suddenly rammed the Turret, flipping it onto its side. Now helpless, it could do nothing as Surt lifted and tossed it at the Powered Armour. The Powered Armour got flattened, yet returned to his feet surprisingly fast. He unloaded the minigun at Surt, who was unfazed. The lasers kept pouring out of the muzzle, but Surt stood still, bracing for every hit. Atsuro suddenly descended from behind. His blow, empowered by almighty energy, punctured the armour and sent the Powered Armour stumbling forward in agony.

"Your armour won't help you now," Atsuro informed the Powered Armour.

The Powered Armour slammed Atsuro with the minigun, sending him to the ground. He immediately fired at Atsuro, who covered up to withstand the beams. Suddenly, three shots connected with the Powered Armour's exposed back. Naoto approached and cast Samsara. A golden wheel, separated into six sections by its spokes, appeared on the ground. The Samsara wheel flashed with a brilliant light and the Powered Armour was disintegrated.

"Good work, Naoto," said Atsuro.

* * *

><p>444th Floor, Zebul<p>

The Heaven of Zebul was a lush wilderness covered by endless foliage. It was a dense, primordial jungle, untouched by modern man and his cities. The air was hot and humid and carried the sound of insects chirping in the distance. Some leaves rustled and a monkey popped out, carrying a bunch of bananas with him. A tiger prowled silently and discovered a wild boar at rest. It bolted forward, landing a fatal hit to its prey's back. It dragged the carcass away to eat it in seclusion.

When Exaltation reached Zebul, they had emerged within a simple straw hut used by the primitive peoples of Earth. The hut had a circular interior with several tribal masks adorning the wall. A crude wooden table had been placed under a window-like opening. It displayed a single bleached human skull. At the very centre of the hut was a ring of stones which surrounded a small pit meant for a fire. Only ashes and a light smoky scent remained of the fire that once burned there. At the rear wall, furthest from the entrance, was a bed of straw with an animal pelt for a blanket.

Outside, the group found themselves in the middle of a tribal village consisting of several huts similar to theirs. A pair of torch holders flanked the road to the hut's entrance, but were currently unlit. Even in this small village, the air was hot and humid. Despite the heat, the group pressed on, arriving at the centre of the village. There, they had found a large fountain made of stone. It was adorned with human bones and skulls. A thin red liquid, blood, poured forth from the mouths of these skulls, pooling into basins below and into drains to be recirculated.

"That thing gives me the creeps," remarked Nanako, looking at the fountain.

"What is this place?" asked Yukiko.

"This is a tribal village in the middle of the jungle," informed Rise. "This place represents the idea of Chaos, basically the law of the jungle."

"Survival of the fittest," remarked Sanada. "I wonder who has such a mindset?"

"Most likely a demon aligned with Chaos," replied Saemon.

Nanako scanned deeper into the primordial jungle, searching for a way to the next floor. Her search uncovered a second village far to the west of the one she was currently in. She looked into one of the larger huts and discovered an elevator within it. The elevator was a simple stone slab with guide lights up to the next floor. She peered up through the roof above, which was an opening to the next Heaven, Maon. A series of psychedelic lights filled the opening, keeping her from seeing any further.

Outside, Nanako could hear footsteps approaching the hut. She peered outside and noticed several figures approaching the village. She zoomed in closer and identified them as a group of humans and demons travelling as a large group. They were certainly a group representing another Reason. As she zoomed in on the faces of the group's members and found two of them were familiar. They were Yukari Takeba and Mitsuru Kirijo!

Next to them was a towering demon which resembled a man with veiny blue skin and pointed ears. He had long, curly black hair, burning red eyes, and wore a garland of skulls and a pelt of tiger fur. He carried a sceptre which resembled a human spinal cord with a skull attached to its end. The whole ensemble gave the demon the appearance of a tribal leader. Her Persona told her that he was Beelzebub in his humanoid form of Baal Zebul, the Lord of Zebul. Beelzebub turned around and looked up, as though he was staring back at Nanako.

Nanako became terrified and immediately ceased scanning the area. "Beelzebub!"

"He's here, on this floor?" asked Sanada.

"Yeah, him, Yukari, and Mitsuru, they're all here," replied Nanako. "Beelzebub saw me scanning him, so they know we're here too. The next elevator is near where they are."

"We must proceed with caution. They'll be ready for us," said Naoto.

Exaltation quickly traversed the vast jungle which separated the two villages from each other. All along the way, they cut through the dense, obstructing foliage. As they neared the second village, a flurry of buzzing resounded through the air. "Watch out!" cried Naoto, as a swarm of flies descended upon the team. "RUN!"

As the team turned and fled, the flies gave chase. Exaltation could not make it far before the bugs washed over them, nipping and biting away. They frantically swatted at the buzzing black cloud which surrounded them. Yosuke quickly conjured a tornado which sucked each and every one of them into its eye. A pink beam raced at the team. Just before it hit, Yog-Sothoth teleported in front of its path. The beam struck a reflection barrier and flew back the other way.

"Beelzebub is here!" cried Yog-Sothoth, seeing the Lord of the Flies emerge from a set of foliage metres from the team.

"Go on ahead, I'll take care of him!" said Saemon.

"But..." said Chie.

"GO!" said Saemon. "He's just here to stall us."

"Okay," said Naoto. "Make sure you come back safely."

"I will," assured Saemon. "Before you go, make sure to apply Amrita to everybody once you're out of harm's way. Beelzebub's flies will certainly have laid eggs on you."

"Got it," replied Naoto. "Everyone, leave Beelzebub to Saemon. We're going on ahead."

The others followed Naoto as they made a beeline to the second village. Beelzebub summoned more flies and sicced them upon the fleeing Exaltation. Saemon created a tornado which sucked in the flies and tore them to pieces. As Exaltation reached the village, Saemon and his demons regrouped and barred Beelzebub's path to the village. Scarlet cast the Amrita spell upon Saemon's entire team, bathing them in a soft, milky white light.

"So King of Bel... it's just the two of us," remarked Beelzebub. "I have not forgotten the defeat you handed me at the Hills Building."

"Yeah, I squashed you good, didn't I?" asked Saemon mockingly.

"I am not the weakling I was then," informed Beelzebub. "Thanks to Lord Lucifer and Yukari, my power is significantly greater than when we first met. How fitting that the first person to get a taste of it would be you."

"Eh, that means I need a bigger shoe to squash you," remarked Saemon. "In the end, I'm still cleaning the stain off the floor."

Beelzebub promptly fired a Primal Force. Saemon simply braced himself behind a reflection barrier. As expected, the pink beam turned the other way and struck Beelzebub. Instead of being harmed, he had absorbed the energy of his own attack. Apparently, Beelzebub could absorb the kinetic energy of physical attacks, something Saemon didn't find surprising at all. Even during their battle at the Hills Building, Beelzebub had this ability. This fact, along with Beelzebub's resistance to nearly every type of attack, made him hard to put down without almighty magic.

Beelzebub fired another Primal Force, this time at Yog-Sothoth. Rather than hide behind a physical reflection barrier, he teleported away. Beelzebub fired again, this time at Scarlet. She dodged and became invisible as she fled. In retaliation, Saemon hurled a massive, billowing ball of fire. Beelzebub raised a spherical globe of violet light. The flames washed over the globe, scattering and hitting the nearby foliage. They caught on fire and began to spread.

Scarlet suddenly reappeared and streamed flame into Beelzebub's back. He maintained the barrier, which scattered the fire. Yog-Sothoth teleported back and opened a swirling violet vortex beneath him. It tugged on Beelzebub and his barrier. Rather than take the strain, he separated into numerous flies and flew away. Beelzebub reformed a safe distance away and unleashed a swarm of Death Flies. The engulfed all three heroes, nipping away, trying to inject eggs into their bodies. Protected from death magic, all of three of them expelled the eggs.

Saemon immediately brought down the Wrath of Bel. Space itself crackled as black fissures tore open across the area. One formed along Beelzebub's torso, tearing him painfully. He immediately separated into flies which buzzed frantically. This time he did not reform as the tribal chief Baal Zebul. Instead, he became a gigantic blue fly with yellow dreadlocks and skull and crossbones marks on his wings. His massive red compound eyes focused on Saemon and friends.

"Ah, that was a good warm up," said the Lord of the Flies. "Now, the real fight begins. Try not to die too easily..."

**END OF CHAPTER**


	24. Judge 8: War of the Reasons

Disclaimer:  
>Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.<p>

**Fall and Rebirth  
>By: RB3 <strong>

**Judgement Arcana 8: War of the Reasons **

555th Floor, Ma'on

Yukari's group emerged on the 555th floor and were greeted with a world with an psychedelic, iridescent sky. This bizarre sky never remained the same colour for any length of time, rapidly changing colour from one moment to the next. Through it all, the white sun shone down upon the land and below, a set of statues lay on the ground facing eastward to the sun. The statues depicted people of all ages and races, and all times and places. Despite their apparent differences, all the people were united in their reverence and joy toward the sun.

"My lady," addressed one of the black-robed cultists. "My demons spotted another group to the north of ours. They are part of a rival Reason."

"Is it Aigis and her group?" asked Yukari.

"No my lady," replied the cultist. "They appear to be from the Reason of Oneness."

"Then Matsumoto is here," said Mitsuru. "This will be our chance to get back at Ikutsuki's group."

"We're going for them," said Yukari.

"Of course my lady," said the cultist.

The Cult of Gaia approached a small town in the grassland. It was a mishmash of various houses and homes from varying time periods and places pieced together. The Cult of Gaia passed a Japanese-style manor for a feudal lord, which was next to a Victorian mansion for a British aristocrat. Next to those two large houses were a series of primitive tribal mud huts with straw roofs. After a few minutes, the Cult of Gaia's scouts returned with reports of a trio of Abaddon.

The demons of the Cult of Gaia, immediately rushed to engage them. Samael, a rust-coloured, bat-winged serpent, hissed at one of the Abaddon and lunged forward to bite. His teeth sunk into the Abaddon's arm, causing a paroxysm of pain. The Abaddon flailed its arm to throw him off, but Samael held on. The Abaddon slammed him into the brick wall of a nearby house, punching a hole into it. Samael held on, even as Abaddon flailed about to throw him off. Abaddon neared a wooden house and slammed Samael through the wall.

Yukari, as Black Maria, flew from rooftop to rooftop, followed by her underlings. They looked down at the massive battle that had broken out, but could not find Matsumoto anywhere. "He must be around here somewhere. Keep looking!"

"Over there!" cried Leanan Sidhe, pointing out a middle-aged man with demonic servants moving by a bungalow.

Yukari and team raced ahead, closing in on Matsumoto's team. As Matsumoto came down the street, they descended upon his team, barring their escape from all sides. "You're not going anywhere," said Yukari.

"Out of my way!" demanded Matsumoto. "You're wasting my time."

"In a few minutes, you won't be alive," said Yukari. "You killed someone I cared about, the man I called 'father.' You destroyed our world and turned it into this nightmare."

"I only did what was necessary to put the old world out of its misery. Soon, we'll all be united in praise of the Great Will. He will cleanse the filth from our world and we will embrace Oneness," said Matsumoto.

"I will not be a robot and neither will anyone else. You might as well be dead then," said Mitsuru.

"I never expected you to understand. So, it's kill or be killed," said Matsumoto.

"After the suffering you've caused us, we wouldn't have it any other way," replied Yukari.

Matsumoto's gun blazed as he unloaded ammunition at Yukari. Her veil blocked them like a barrier screen, deforming the shots on impact. Matsumoto retreated up the street as his demons and the Succession's drew battle lines. Mitsuru and Ishtar locked gazes. Ishtar broke the standoff to hurl lightning, which was parried. Mitsuru retaliated with an ice blast, but Ishtar snuffed it with more lightning. Mitsuru manifested Artemisia, who lashed and coiled her whip around Ishtar's body. Artemisia yanked her back and tossed her through a window.

Mitsuru immediately formed a solid boulder of ice above and dumped it on the house. It flattened the home, blowing out dust and debris with a loud thud. She suddenly sensed danger and raised her sword. A bolt of lightning struck the blade, forcing her back away from the sheer intensity. Mitsuru gripped her weapon tightly to avoid being disarmed. Through the glowing electricity, she could make out Ishtar, streaming it from above in the sky.

Nearby, Pabelsag pounced onto Hercules, knocking him onto his back. Pabelsag thrust his stinger towards Hercules' face, but the Greek hero caught it and held it away. In this precarious position, he could see liquid venom seep out, coating the tip. Hercules strained and squeezed the tail as hard as he could. Pabelsag yelped in pain and Hercules diverted the tail into the ground. Hercules kicked him off and jumped to an upright position. Still holding the tail, Hercules ran forward and impaled it into Pabelsag's ribs.

"GAAAAH!" screamed Pabelsag, as the stinger sank into his flesh.

Hercules unloaded two jabs and then a right hook to the chin. Each brutal hit pushed the scorpion-man back. He uprooted a nearby tree and swung for the face, sending Pabelsag onto a single knee. He swung again in a wide arc, catching Pabelsag in the temple and sending him to the ground. Hercules approached and repeatedly jabbed the tree into Pabelsag's face. With his final swing, Hercules raised the tree high and drove it through Pabelsag's face. The ground shuddered and cracked upon the tremendous force. Pabelsag's face burst into a pulpy darkness.

"So much for Pabelsag," said Hercules.

Yukari's battle continued with her unleashing a volley of arrows. Matsumoto took cover behind a ruined wall and returned fire twice towards her roof. Yukari's veil deformed the bullets harmlessly. She retaliated with a second volley of arrows. Matsumoto hid behind the wall and gestured with a lightning-covered hand. A bolt of lightning descended from the sky, hitting her in the back and staggering her. Matsumoto gestured again, this time with a flame-covered hand. An explosion erupted from Yukari's house, levelling it instantly in a ball of flame.

The roof caved in beneath Yukari and she fell in. A cloud of smoke billowed into the sky as the house continued to burn. Matsumoto did not detect any sign of movement and left his cover to confirm Yukari's demise, but found no sign of life. Suddenly, several flaming arrows burst from the fire! One plunged deep into his right shoulder while impaled itself in his ribs. The fire seared his flesh, leaving him reeling in agony, even as he fought back the instinct to scream. Yukari emerged through the flames, advancing on her foe.

Fighting the pain, Matsumoto turned around and unloaded three shots. Yukari barely deflected the first two, but the third struck her forehead, causing her to stumble back. Matsumoto gestured with a flame-covered hand, enflaming the area around her. Despite reeling, she regained enough composure to form a whirling tornado around her body. The tornado spun around her, sucking all of the flames like a vacuum. She then sent the flaming tornado forward, scooping up Matsumoto and burning him.

When the tornado dissipated, Matsumoto, despite being so wounded, got up to continue fighting. He was riddled with burns and teetering, barely able to stand. She readied an arrow and let it loose. It pierced through Matsumoto's head, taking him back and embedding itself in the wooden frame behind. It effectively pinned his head to the wall, dangling his body like a puppet. "Finally got you, you bastard!" Yukari said to herself. "Father, that one was for you!"

* * *

><p>444th Floor, Zebul<p>

Saemon dropped a Megido spell upon Beelzebub. The violet orb exploded with deafening force and hurtling Beelzebub into a row of trees. His massive body crushed them in his wake. He crashed to the ground so hard as to knock up a cloud of dust. Saemon dropped another Megido upon him, which explode with such violent force that it formed a mushroom cloud upon ground zero. Beelzebub split into numerous flies and reformed in an upright position. He summoned and sicced a swarm of flies forward.

Saemon could not react in time before they set upon him and carried him off. They smashed him through three trees, uprooting or puncturing them before he regained the composure to teleport to safety. Yog's tentacles extended out from a pair of portals. They snaked along the ground and caught Beelzebub's ankles. Beelzebub tried to wrench himself free, but Yog yanked his footing from under him. He spun Beelzebub in circles in a hammer throw, before releasing him into the air.

Beelzebub righted himself and threw a Megido. The orb exploded upon hitting the ground and tossed Yog into a heap on the ground. Despite this, Beelzebub was still hurtling back, when Scarlet suddenly reappeared ahead of him. She hurled a fireball up into his back, which exploded in a massive plume of flame. Beelzebub went hurtling the other way, on a suicide belly flop back to the ground. Scarlet moved closer and sent a stream of fire to follow him. As Beelzebub plopped onto the ground, the fire stream connected and exploded outward.

The jungles of Zebul had been set ablaze in the fire's wake. The fire spread from tree to tree and billowing clouds of thick black smoke began to fill the sky. Beelzebub got up off the ground and looked around. Saemon and his demons were nowhere to be seen. In his compound eyes, Beelzebub could only see the orangey-red haze of flame all around him. "I know you're out there," called Beelzebub. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Elsewhere, Saemon and his demons hid themselves behind a group of burning trees, concealed by Scarlet's stealth magic and the glow of the flames. The succubus applied her soothing touch to Saemon, healing the wounds he had suffered from battle. "That should do it, darling."

"He doesn't know when to quit, even after that smack down we gave him," remarked Yog-Sothoth.

"Of course," replied Saemon. "Draw him closer to the flames. Then we'll give him a 'warm' greeting."

Beelzebub hovered across the treetops, which still burned with orangey light. He scanned below for any unusual motion, but the fiery glow distorted the jungle's appearance and made it difficult. He suddenly spotted several fireballs headed towards him and swatted them away. He closed with the source and noticed Scarlet, hiding among the flames. He immediately hurled a blast of ice, forcing her to dart to the right. The ice snuffed the nearby flames, exposing more of her previous location.

Beelzebub unleashed another ice blast, but Scarlet scrambled behind a tree. He then sent a Hades Blast at the tree. The wave of darkness washed outward, bowling down everything in its path, including the tree. However, Scarlet was nowhere to be seen and had not been swept away. Beelzebub growled in frustration. Suddenly, the sky rumbled like thunder! A black fissure, a tear in the seam of reality, opened down upon him. It tore through his very being, yet he survived, stumbling forward despite trying to maintain composure.

Saemon tore open another set of fissures, but Beelzebub immediately found him and charged. He snatched Saemon and carried him into the air. "Caught ya!" said Beelzebub, burning Saemon with a handful of almighty energy.

Scarlet suddenly reappeared behind Beelzebub and sent a fireball into his back. Beelzebub doubled over from searing pain, accidentally releasing Saemon. Saemon, in turn, landed a body shot with an Almighty Hit. Beelzebub did a quick bounce, and then got caught by Yog's tentacles. They wound around his legs and yanked him into the air. Yog-Sothoth flew towards the largest open flame and dumped the Lord of the Flies into his funeral pyre.

Scarlet made a lifting gesture, raising the flames high to engulf Beelzebub completely. Beelzebub writhed in agony, trying to get up and escape. Yog-Sothoth formed a vortex underneath which swirled and whipped the flames around in a circle. Beelzebub hung on, trying to fly and escape the pull with what power he had left. Saemon fractured reality, sending black tears ripping down from the sky. The combined tearing from reality fractures and the portal's suction ripped his body to shreds.

His limbs severed from his main body and broke apart into a swarm of flies. The rest of his body followed suit, but Scarlet fanned the flames, raising them higher. The flies ignited and dropped to the ground as clumps of ash. A sphere of white light, Beelzebub's Bel essence, fled his charred remains and flew towards Saemon, who absorbed it. Another Bel essence, an unexpected one, emerged from the sky and became drawn to Saemon as well. Saemon could feel that it was Pabelsag's, released with his demise.

"So, even Pabelsag is gone. Great! Now Bel is whole again," remarked Saemon.

"We did it!" cheered Scarlet, throwing her arms around Saemon and kissing him.

Saemon embraced his succubus servant. "Yep, let's go join the others," said Saemon.

* * *

><p>555th Floor, Ma'on<p>

Exaltation had crested the 555th floor and explored the quiet and peaceful land which sprawled across the floor. They eventually encountered a group of ruined houses, many of which had holes smashed into them. Others were charred black, still smouldering from the final, dying embers of a raging fire. Whoever had fought here were long gone, but had left the corpses of the fallen in their passing. Some had bloody claw and bullet wounds from either demons or firearms. Others had been charred or frozen by various elemental blasts.

"What happened here?" asked Yuzu, seeing the carnage all around her.

"It has to be Yukari," replied Aigis.

"It can only be her. Some of these people are dressed in Cult of Gaia robes," said Naoto, looking down at one of the slashed up bodies. Naoto moved to a second set of bodies, men who carried guns and were dressed in black suits. "These people look like security personnel."

"So, Matsumoto's men? They must have run into each other," said Kanji, looking over the bodies. "They sure did a number on this place, and each other."

Rise rounded a corner and spotted a levelled building which still smouldered from fire. She looked the other direction and found a body whose head had been impaled onto a wooden wall by an arrow. "Ah!" she screamed when she saw it.

The others came to check and discovered Rise, along with the body. "That's..." said Yukiko, too horrified by what she saw to finish her sentence.

"It's Matsumoto, but look at what's pinning his head there," said Sanada, pointing out the green spectral arrow. He removed the arrow, allowing Matsumoto's body to slump to the ground. "This is one of Yukari's arrows. There's no doubt about it."

"We'd better move on," said Naoto. "Nanako, where is she now?"

"Let me check," she replied. "She's on the 616th floor. She still has many cultists and demons following her, despite her losses here."

"We can still catch up to her. Let's go," said Naoto.

* * *

><p>666th Floor, Machon<p>

Yukari and the Cult of Gaia emerged in the middle of a vast, barren land. The dirt had been hardened to an almost stone-like toughness and only the hardiest and smallest shrubs could thrive here. The sun was bright in the sky, but seemed obscured by a thin film of mist or smog. At the centre of this wasteland was a lone coliseum with only an asphalt road leading up towards it. The coliseum itself was a towering structure of brass and iron lined with numerous spikes. It was adorned by black banners with the emblem of a crimson planet Earth, the mark of the Cult of Gaia.

"My lady, the elevator is at the opposite end of the coliseum. We can get there by passing through the big doors," said Yukari's underling.

Yukari's group passed through the massive iron entrance doors. They entered a small reception area which had a ticket office separated by a counter and a clear plastic teller's window. Nearby was a small concessions area which sold fast food and souvenirs to the patrons of the coliseum. Even as Yukari's group passed through to the coliseum's centre, they did not see any other people. Despite its sheer size, the coliseum was completely devoid of people, not even a maintenance crew was present to clean it.

A single stone statue overlooked the battle area, as though watching the fights for entertainment. The statue depicted a fallen angel in full glory. He seemed to be hovering in the air, knees bent and arms stretched out for balance. The fallen angel was Lucifer himself, who had an emancipated body and six wings which were like those of a bat. A single ribbon of cloth wound around his body, acting as his only form of clothing. He had long blond hair with sideburns and a pair of long sharp horns on his head.

One of the female cultists felt a change in the wind and the presence of life. A group of people were approaching the coliseum. "Another Reason is coming this way," she warned.

"Which one?" asked Yukari.

"Exaltation. They're..." replied the cultist.

Before the cultist could finish, Naoto's group burst through the main door and fanned into the battle area. "Not so fast!" said Naoto.

"So, you're going to challenge me too?" asked Yukari.

"Minato would never approve of what you're doing," said Aigis.

"No, and Lucifer isn't doing this out of the good of his heart. He wants something and when it's all over, you'd better pay the piper," warned Sanada.

"Don't you dare lecture me," said Yukari. "You may have a Reason now, but what good is it when the next Conception will wipe it all away? Everything will be for nothing!"

"Not at all," replied Sanada. "By then, humanity will have outgrown that world. We won't need it anymore."

"Do you really think God will let you get that far? No way! Unless Lucifer is around to stop Him, God will do everything He can to keep you his slaves."

"I believe we can grow strong enough to stand on our own two feet and not need God to dictate everything we do," replied Sanada.

"You're just fooling yourself," said Yukari. "Enough, I'm following what I believe is right. If that means I must take you down, then so be it!"

The Cult of Gaia sicced their demons upon Exaltation. Aigis started unloading ammunition into an advancing Arioch. Her shots deflected off of the creature's chest without causing him to even flinch. "Bullets are useless against him," informed Dojima.

"What do we do?" asked Aigis, sidestepping the Arioch's attempt to lunge at her.

"I'll ask Nanako," replied Dojima. "Can you hear me? How do we beat this thing?"

"Don't use ice, that demon is resistant to it too," Nanako replied telepathically. "He is weak to fire and ailments. You can also try electricity. It'll do full damage, but he isn't especially weak to it."

The Arioch charged, catching Aigis and slamming her to ground. Dojima fired into the beast's back, causing him to turn his attention away and moved towards Dojima. Aigis immediately rolled away and cast Sukukaja. Both she and Dojima's appearance became blurry. The Arioch launched himself into a trio of rapidly thrown slashes, but each hit of Deathbound struck only afterimages left by their dodging. Dojima quickly cast Zio, which shocked and pushed the Arioch back. Despite being wracked by convulsions, Arioch continued ahead and slashed Dojima.

Dojima immediately backed away, causing the sword to slice through his afterimage. The Arioch continued to chase Dojima back to the entry way. "Hang on!" said Aigis, summoning Saturn as her Persona.

This Persona was the Roman god of agriculture. He was like a superhero in red spandex uniform which had a single white stripe going down its middle. Flames billowed out from openings in his head, crotch, knees, elbows, and stomach, as though his entire interior was made of it. Aigis streamed fire at the Arioch. The demon caught on fire and stumbled about until he fell down. The Arioch writhed helplessly in agony, trying to extinguish the flames on his body.

"I'll finish him," said Dojima.

Dojima quickly unleashed his Zio spell, calling down massive bolts of lightning from the sky. The Arioch convulsed in intense agony, before bursting into blobs of inky darkness and vanishing. "Good work you two," said Nanako. "Akihiko and Naoto need some help. They're to the north."

Nearby, was the battle between Naoto, Akihiko, and Hercules. The Greek hero grabbed Naoto by the collar of her shirt and tossed her into a retaining wall. The brick and mortar wall burst inward as she crashed into it and left an indentation. Invoking Caesar, Sanada brought lightning down from the heavens, striking Hercules in the back. Despite being wracked by convulsions and agony, Hercules endured through this onslaught and charged at Sanada. He tackled Sanada in the gut, carrying him across the coliseum into another retaining wall.

As Sanada recovered, Hercules threw a powerful hook. Sanada ducked, causing the blow to overshoot and hit the wall. Sanada rose up and threw a hard shot to the abdomen. Hercules stumbled back and Sanada returned fully upright and delivered two hooks to the ribs. Hercules stumbled back and tripped on a rock. As he got up, he noticed a nearby column, supporting the stands above. He tore it out and swung wide, clipping Sanada despite his attempt to escape. Hercules raised the column for an overhead swing, but Sanada rolled away, narrowly avoiding being crushed.

As Hercules advanced to pursue, a tornado formed underneath his feet. The whirling wind grew to monstrous proportions as it scooped him into the sky, spinning him a rapid, dizzying circle. The caster was Yosuke, who had separated from the main melee to help. The tornado dumped Hercules into a hole, which had been punched into the ground earlier by a different attack. Yosuke applied some Dia magic to Akihiko's bruises, sealing them until they were good as new.

"Thanks Yosuke, I'm good," replied Sanada. "Where's Yukari?"

"I saw her beyond that big pile up other there," said Yosuke, gesturing to a massive battle between Gaians and Survivors.

"I'm going after her. You should take Naoto and the others up to Kagutsuchi," said Sanada.

"Okay, we'll leave this to you and the others," said Yosuke.

Sanada got up and looked around. Sanada spotted a pack of demons, who fired elemental blasts at each other ceaselessly. In the pack was Atsuro, who punch out a cultist trying to rush him. Another ran forward to attack, but Atsuro avoided his blow, and gave one in return to the stomach. Sanada worked around the pack and spotted Aigis staring down Black Maria and Mitsuru. Sanada rushed forward to join and hurled lightning at Mitsuru. Mitsuru noticed and immediately parried. He ceased the failed attack and took Aigis' side.

* * *

><p>Yosuke found Naoto dazed at the foot of an indentation in the wall. He started to apply healing magic to help her recover. "I'm okay now," replied Naoto, regaining her composure and lucidity.<p>

"Sanada and the others will hold back Yukari's group. We're going on ahead," said Yosuke.

"Okay, Rise, can you hear me?" asked Naoto mentally.

"I'm here, I'm in the stands above the battlefield. What do you need?" asked Rise telepathically.

"We going for Kagutsuchi. Meet us by the door. Atsuro and Sanada's friends will keep Succession pinned down here," replied Naoto.

"Okay, I'll let the others know," replied Rise. "Chie, are you there? We're going on ahead to Kagutsuchi. Leave this to Sanada and Atsuro."

In the pile of demons, Chie punted a Decarabia into the air and out of the melee. "Okay, I'm moving out," she replied.

Yukiko spewed fire at another, forcing him to recoil in terror. "I'm coming," replied Yukiko.

The two worked their way out of the melee, hurling attacks at anyone who tried to interfere. Kanji backed into them on the way out, hurling electricity at Leanan Sidhe. She fell to the ground, wracked by convulsions. Chie punted another Decarabia out of the melee, creating an opening for Kanji to escape. He noticed and bolted for it, joining her and Yukiko on their way out. A cultist charged at Teddie, too caught up in bloodlust to see him form an ice patch underfoot. The cultist's feet slipped out from under him, sending him to the ground in a heap.

Teddie snickered as he ran to join Yukiko and the others. "Where's Ai and Naoki?" asked Yukiko. "They were near me before we got separated by the battle."

In the middle of the melee, Balor and Ai locked gazes with each other. Balor immediately fired a Primal Force, forcing Ai to dive away. Ai got up and telekinetically yanked several rocks out of the ground. She immediately sent them at Balor, but despite full contact, Balor merely flinched from being hit. He continued forward as though nothing had happened. Suddenly, Naoki sped in, snatched Ai, and put her on the seat behind. Hell Biker's motorbike left a blast of air and dust in its wake, blinding Balor.

Naoki sped to the others, who were waiting by the door. "What about Dojima and Nanako?" asked Ai.

"They're pinned down by enemy fire," replied Rise, remotely viewing Dojima in the bleachers, hiding behind the seats. Nanako was nearby, crawling on the ground behind him. A Gaian cultist stood up and fired at Dojima from the bleachers on the other side. "There's no way we can get to them."

"We'll have to leave now or else Yukari will catch on," said Naoto.

"Nanako is telling me to go ahead," informed Rise. "She and Dojima will stay behind to help the others."

"Okay, let's go," said Naoto.

* * *

><p>Sanada followed Mitsuru's retreat to the edge of the arena and gave pursuit. He hurled lightning at her, forcing her to parry with her foil. She slashed rapidly, dissipating the electricity. "You haven't lost your touch, Akihiko," said Mitsuru.<p>

"Neither have you," replied Sanada.

Mitsuru fired a stream of ice. Sanada pushed forward while covering himself. Mitsuru attempted to stab him on the way in, but he sidestepped and darted in for a jab. Mitsuru sidestepped and thrust for his ribs, but missed when Sanada moved. She hurled ice, forming a coating of frost onto his chest and thighs. Sanada shook off the frosty coating and retaliated with lightning. Mitsuru parried and pushed forward. Sanada broke his attack to sidestep her thrust, but was a bit too late and got slashed across the left ribs.

Sanada's wound stung and a trickle of blood seeped from it. "First blood," Mitsuru informed Sanada coldly.

"I'm not out yet," replied Sanada. "I'm not a quitter, Mitsuru. You should know that by now."

Sanada hurled lightning, which Mitsuru parried as predicted. He advanced while keeping the electricity streaming forward. Once he moved close enough, Mitsuru suddenly hurled snow into his face. Sanada stumbled back and Mitsuru moved in for the kill. Her foil thrust towards his heart, but he suddenly weaved right. Despite still being slashed along the shoulder, he ignored the pain and continued forward for a body shot. Mitsuru winced in pain and doubled over.

Sanada delivered a left to the body, then went down for two shots to the groin. The nauseating pain caused her to release her foil accidentally in an attempt to protect her groin. Sanada threw a left hook to the chin. Mitsuru stumbled back in a daze, still clutching her groin. Sanada launched a vicious uppercut to the chin, flooring his old friend. Sanada gazed down on her, sprawled on the ground, bleeding from the lip. He was panting heavily from unleashing such a vicious flurry of blows.

* * *

><p>Aigis fired numerous rounds from an arm-mounted Gatling gun. Her bullets impacted the veil of Black Maria, becoming deformed on the surface. Yukari readied an arrow and released it at her foe. Aigis weaved around continued closing. She hurled punches at Yukari, who merely blocked each and every hit with the veil. Yukari hurled a point blank Garu spell. Aigis was swept back by the green tornado and dumped a distance away. Aigis' damaged body started to crackle with leaking electricity.<p>

At that moment, Yukari noticed something in the corner of her eye. She moved her attention towards that item and saw that the door to the next level had been opened. Naoto and friends were running inside. "They're going to the next floor! Stop them!" she cried to her Gaians.

Despite receiving orders, the Gaians could not carry them out. Yuzu hurled Wind Cutters at a female Gaian who tried to beeline for the door. The airy blade slashed her shoulder, causing her to stumble and lose speed. Suzaku dove down from above and snatched the woman. He flew to the bleachers nearby, where he dumped her. Hercules attempted to leap towards the door, but Hector pounced onto his back, pulling him down. Hector mounted his back and rained down the punches.

An RPG swooshed at Yukari, blowing her down in a fiery explosion. Aigis raced at Yukari and grabbed her. "Let me go!" cried Yukari.

She lifted Yukari and pointed her towards the nearest wall. Aigis picked up speed and smashed Yukari right through the stone. It burst open with a loud boom and rubble scattered everywhere. Aigis pulled Yukari out of the hole by the neck and drove her into a new section of the wall. Like the first, the second burst open with its own audible boom. More rubble scattered across the ground. Aigis pulled Yukari out and hurled her into the nearest pillar.

It burst into chunks of rock scattered along the ground. Yukari lay on the ground motionless and unconscious. She had reverted back to her human form, all bloodied and battered. Aigis, though filled with the rush of victory, also felt a twinge of guilt. She had just delivered a brutal beating to her friend, possibly ever killed her in the heat of battle. However, Aigis was also severely damaged from their battle. Her battery was rapidly leaking power from accumulated damage. Aigis as she slumped over as her strength started to leave her and collapsed.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	25. Judge 9: Journey of the Fool

Disclaimer:

Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.

**Fall and Rebirth**

**By: RB3 **

**Judgement Arcana 9: Journey of the Fool**

777th Floor

Naoto and her friends rose to the top of the tower upon a golden platform. The final Heaven of the tower, Araboth, could only be described as what people would think of when they thought of the word "heaven." It was a vast, open sky filled with platforms made of clouds. These platforms were linked together like a series of islands by numerous rainbow-like bridges. The sun cast its golden, wholesome light upon the marble temples and shrines scattered throughout this celestial world.

When the team crested the 777th floor via their golden platform, they were greeted by a set of massive, golden double doors. They were so massive, they made the team seem like mice next to them. Each of the door hinges themselves were at least six feet high. Bright white light seeped through the cracks between the door and the ground and nearby walls. If it wasn't for the presence of the door, the light would have been so intense as to blind the group.

"Something powerful is on the other side," Rise informed the others, scanning beyond the double doors. "The light is too bright, but I can feel it there, waiting for us."

"This is it, the final battle," remarked Yosuke. "I can't help but feel a bit nervous."

"You aren't going to the bathroom now, are you?" asked Chie.

"No," replied Yosuke sarcastically. "I just wonder, what will I be like once I'm in the new world. Am I still gonna be me? Will I even know you guys?"

"I'm sure we'll be fine," said Rise. "Maybe our histories will change, but we'll still be the same people."

"Yeah, that's right. We've been through so much together. We'll get through this together too," said Yukiko.

"Well, no point wasting time. How do we open this door?" asked Kanji, trying to push it open. When that failed to work, he tried to pull it instead, but the door wouldn't budge.

"I'll try the key," said Naoto, pointing the Magatsuhi key at the door.

The door started to rumble and slowly opened inward. The light flooded into the entrance lobby, blinding the whole group. Despite not being able to see, the Investigation Team pressed forward. The light subsided and they found themselves standing opposite the door, at the edge of a massive domed chamber. Several bricks of various shapes hovered around the room in perfect orbit around a single point of light. A faint murmur could be heard in the background, as though billions of souls were singing in joy, in anticipation of the world's rebirth.

The bricks converged around the point of light forming the head of a giant old man. The old man, Kagutsuchi, spoke. "So, you've come at last, you who bear the Reason of Exaltation in your hearts. You seek to create a world where all may reach the height of their potential. Very well Reason bearers, prove to me the strength of your Reason. From the moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, man sealed his fate. Entrusting his future to the cards, man seeks a new hope. The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed."

Kagatsuchi started to rumble as random bricks from around the room started to form into shapes before the team. The first was a man in robes, holding aloft a magic wand which shined with supernatural power. "Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination," said the Magician, using Kagutsuchi's voice.

The second was a saintly woman, eyes closed, kneeling in reverent prayer. "The silent voice within one's heart whispers the most profound wisdom," said the Priestess.

The third was a noble woman, carrying a sceptre and dressed in the robes and crown of a queen. "Celebrate life's grandeur, its brilliance, its magnificence," said the Empress.

The fourth was the Empress' male counterpart, bearing an imperial sceptre and adorned by robes and the crown of his station. "Only courage in the face of doubt can lead one to the answer," said the Emperor.

The fifth was a priest, dressed like the Pope with his mitre and ceremonial staff. "It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guide oneself," said the Hierophant.

The sixth formed into a pair of figures, a naked man and a naked woman, holding each other's hand. "There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another," said the Lovers in unison.

"They are the Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, and the Lovers," informed Rise. "Kagutsuchi has given form to the Arcana of the Shadows."

The Arcana constructs advanced on the team. The Magician started the battle by waving his wand, casting a searing torrent of flame. Yukiko quickly ran in front of the others to take the brunt of the flames for the team. She emerged unscathed, instead feeling much more refreshed and invigorated through absorbing them. She immediately hurled her fan in retaliation, but the Magician hovered sideways to evade. He charged forward, before she could catch her returning fan, and knocked her to the ground.

The Emperor brought lightning down upon the team, incapacitating them with convulsions. Kanji, invigorated by the electricity, forced his way through to the front and took the attack for the others. He move close and slammed his shield into the Emperor's face. The lightning stopped, allowing Naoto to fire at the Priestess. The Empress immediately dove in front, taking the bullets for her ally. The Empress unleashed a torrent of ice, but Teddie rushed forward and took it for the team.

Under the cover of Teddie's body, Naoki emerged and spewed flame in retaliation. The set the Empress' robes on fire. She flailed around helplessly trying to extinguish them. The fires continued to spread and engulfed her completely. They burnt her to ash and molten bricks. The Priestess immediately whispered a soft prayer. All of a sudden the Empress started to reform, brick by brick, until she was back to normal. She immediately tried to spray Naoki, but Teddie got in the way.

"Oh great!" remarked Teddie, as he drained the ice into his hands.

"Take out the Priestess first. She'll keep healing the others as long as she lives," informed Rise.

"Yukiko's in trouble!" said Ai, seeing the Magician on top of her, pummelling her face with the wand. Ai directed a vine at the Magician, restraining his weapon arm. Yukiko quickly kicked the Magician off while he was preoccupied with the vine. She scrambled out and ran back to Ai's side, where she started to heal the cuts and bruises caused by the Magician.

The Magician set the vines on fire, freeing himself. "No, you're staying down," said Yukiko, casting a Godly Light upon the Magician.

Amaterasu clasped her hands, chanting a prayer which shined a white spotlight shined upon the Magician. It seared the Arcana painfully, with wisps of smoke visibly hissing out of its body. Even so, the Magician proved very resilient, staying intact even under such an onslaught. Ai lobbed Mustard Bombs upon the construct, filling the area around him with dirty yellow gas. The Magician started to cough as the gas burned his eyes. Yukiko ramped up the intensity, until the Magician was disintegrated.

The Priestess chanted a new prayer. The Magician started to reform, with grains gathering into blocks, which gathered into the Magician's body. Naoto summoned Norn and quickly hurled a tornado at the Priestess. The Empress immediately jumped in front to take the hit. The tornado trapped the Empress in its eye, but she quickly busted through, dissipating the winds. Naoto fired several times at the Empress. She simply blocked, taking the full brunt of the gunfire to permit the Priestess to resume her prayers.

The Empress advanced upon Naoto. She hurled a blast of ice, which Naoto blocked. Naoto tried to shoot again, but the Empress withstood the bullets and continued to pressure Naoto. Teddie suddenly pounced upon the open Priestess. His attack knocked her down, disrupting her prayers. She scrambled out and fled from Teddie, who gave chase. The Empress realized she had been lured away and rushed for Teddie. He quickly backed off, avoiding the Empress' sceptre. Teddie turned his claw upon the Empress, tearing a gash open across her chest.

As soon as the gash opened, it started to close as grains of stone flew in to seal the cut. Teddie suddenly grabbed the Empress' legs and held on. "Now!" cried Naoto.

Hell Biker suddenly came by, lashing a chain around the neck of the Priestess. The chain acted like a noose, dragging the Priestess across the ground as he rode along. He suddenly stopped, and Yosuke descended from above, stabbing into her chest. The Priestess crumbled into rubble, removing the enemy of their primary support. Nearby, Teddie yanked the Empress' legs, taking her to the ground. Naoto summoned Yamato-Takeru, who descended from above and sliced the Empress in two with Vorpal Blade.

Kanji charged in for a takedown, trying to grab the Emperor by the legs and pull him down. Instead, the Emperor held firmly, pushing Kanji's momentum into the ground. Chie launched into a flying kick, planting her foot right into the Arcana's face. Staggered, the Emperor became open to Kanji's takedown. Kanji lifted him up and slammed him hard into the ground. He scrambled onto the Emperor and hurled punches into his face. After several blows, Kanji had smashed the Emperor's head to rubble.

The Hierophant rushed at Chie, who dodged his staff. She immediately planted a kick to his stomach, which sent him sliding across the room until he crashed into a wall. The Hierophant got up and quickly applied Dia magic on himself to recover. Chie launched into a flying kick, but he suddenly tilted his head out of the way at the last moment. As she landed, the Hierophant circled around and hit her from behind, pushing her toward the wall. He tried again, but she dodged and caught his staff. With a single chop, she split it in two.

The Hierophant tried to hurled a point blank fireball, but she quickly evaded sideways. The Hierophant tried to strike her with his remaining half of the staff. Chie caught his arm and flipped him onto the ground. With a quick stomp, Chie crushed his head into rubble. Nearby, Ai lobbed a Mustard Bomb at the Lovers. The explosion separated them and the gas got into their eyes, causing them to tear up and burn painfully. Teddie dumped numerous ice boulders which crushed them underneath.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) 

The Investigation Team regrouped and faced Kagutsuchi. The remains of the Arcana turned to a powder trail which rose into the air. New blocks raced in to replace the lost ones. They joined together to form a new set of Arcana constructs. The first took on the shape of a Roman centurion armed with a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a sheathed gladius. The centurion wore a helmet with a brush-like plume and rode a chariot powered by a pair of horses. "One of life's greatest blessings is the freedom to pursue one's goals," said the Chariot.

The second was simply a set of weighing scales. "To find the one true path, one must seek guidance amidst uncertainty," said Justice.

The third was a wizened old man dressed in robes like a wizard. He carried a lantern in his left hand and a walking stick in the right. "It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly and forge one's own path," said the Hermit.

The fourth figure was a simple metal wheel with marked segments displaying various suits of a poker deck. It was like the spinning wheel used in games of roulette. "Alongside time exists fate, the bearer of cruelty," said Fortune, the Wheel of Fortune.

The fifth figure was an cute girl in a gown, holding onto the chain which leashed her pet lion. "Only with Strength can one endure suffering and torment," said Strength.

The sixth and final figure was a man hanging upside from a gallows. "In the face of disaster lies opportunity for renewal," said the Hanged Man.

"Those Arcana are Chariot, Justice, Hermit, Fortune, Strength, and Hanged Man," informed Rise. "Fortune uses lots of wind attacks and is healed by wind. Hermit can use spells which mess with your head, so watch out. Hanged Man resists everything, while Strength and Chariot use lots of physical attacks and are resistant to them. Justice uses lots of Hama magic and is immune to it."

Justice advanced on the group, aglow in holy white light. Several golden ofuda materialized around the group. Recognizing this attack, Naoto switched to Sophia. Along with Yukiko and Naoki, formed a circle around the group. A white flash from the ofuda engulfed the group, but the trio took the brunt of the spell unharmed. It was a Hama spell that, if successful, would have banished their Personas and rendered them unconscious.

Naoto ran forward, firing shots at Justice. Her bullets struck the mobile scale, forcing it to recoil in pain. Yukiko fanned a torrent of flame at Justice. Justice caught on fire and stumbled about in agony. Naoto unleashed a Megido spell. The explosion snuffed the flames and blasted Justice to the ground. Ai quickly moved forward and fired a Mustard Bomb. The sphere struck Justice and exploded, leaking a dirty yellow gas everywhere. Despite this flurry of attacks, Justice got back up.

It cast another Hama, surrounding Ai and Alraune with ofuda. After a bright white flash, Alraune suddenly vanished into the light and Ai collapsed comatose on the ground. "What happened to Ai?" asked Kanji, noticing Ai collapse in the corner of his eye. Despite the vulnerable state of his teammate, he kept a constant watch over Chariot's movements.

"She got hit by a Hama spell," replied Rise. "They strip you of your Persona and knock you out."

"I can Recarm her up, but I need time," said Teddie.

"Okay," replied Naoto.

Naoto hurled a sphere of almighty energy. It exploded just next to Justice, throwing it to the ground. She pressed the attack by spraying a jet of ice and snow. An icy shell formed around Justice, pinning it to the ground. Yukiko fanned flames upon it, engulfing the creature once again. Justice burnt to ash under the flames leaving nothing recognizable behind. Nearby, Teddie continued to direct wholesome white light upon Ai's unconscious body. She winced groggily as she regained consciousness and sat up.

At that moment, an arrow embedded itself into Teddie's back. He gasped in pain and fell to one knee. "Teddie!" said Ai.

Teddie's attacker had been the Chariot, who had sent an arrow into his back while passing by. Ai immediately focused on Teddie, applying Dia magic to heal him. The arrow popped out and vanished as the wound sealed up. "Naoki, you have help Kanji. He can't keep up with Chariot's speed," informed Rise.

"Got it," replied Naoki, racing behind the Chariot, trying to catch up to him.

As Chariot approached for a drive-by on Ai, Naoki pulled up beside him. He lashed a chain into the Chariot's wheel. The chain got entangled in the spokes, causing the Chariot to make an abrupt stop. The centurion prematurely misfired his arrow at an empty wall. As the same time, the centurion's momentum carried him forward, flipping him over the front of his vehicle. He flopped flat onto his back, but quickly got up and drew his sword.

With the Chariot stopped, Kanji caught up to its rider. He hurled a Zio spell upon the centurion, which chained from the centurion to the Chariot. The electricity burnt both to ash, leaving nothing behind but melted goo and seared bricks. Ai finished healing Teddie and the bear stood up, full of vim and vigour. They saw Yosuke, who had been tackled by Strength's lion. The lion bit into Yosuke's arm and held on despite his attempts to pry it off.

"Get that lion off of Yosuke," said Rise. Teddie hurled icy wind at the lion as Ai pelted it with magical stones. Their combined attacks dislodged the lion and forced it to turn its attention to them.

It pounced on Ai, knocking her down. Like Yosuke, the lion started to bite into her left shoulder. She tried to pry the lion loose, but the beast's jaws were too tight. Yosuke hurled Divine Wind at the lion, who held on despite such severe gale force. Strength ran in to intervene. Yosuke dodged her punch and backed away for space. Teddie sprayed ice to dislodge the lion. The ice stung so greatly that the lion reflexively released Ai. Ai suddenly levitated a boulder from the ground and fatally pulverized the lion's face.

Strength threw two jabs at Yosuke, who dodged both. She suddenly sped up and threw a combination of wild punches. Yosuke avoided the first hit of Deathbound, but the second caught him. Staggered, he got struck by the third, which hurled towards the back wall. He hit it with a thud and cracked open an indentation. Yosuke slumped to the ground dazed. Strength advanced, but felt a brief chill and found her leg frozen to the ground by a shell of ice. Teddie kept the icy stream coming until Strength was frozen completely. Ai dropped a massive boulder, crushing Strength.

Fortune sent a tornado at Naoto. She quickly switched to Norn and took the winds head on, absorbing it to replenish her stamina. Naoto immediately called Sophia and hurled electricity. Fortune stumbled about, convulsing in agony as electricity surged across its body. Naoto turned up the intensity until it exploded in a shower of rubble. Suddenly, something got around her neck! It pulled her down, choking her all the while. She tried to pry it loose, feeling the noose tightening around her neck.

At the other end was the Hanged Man. He dragged Naoto along the ground, trying to lasso her in like a cowboy. "Someone help Naoto! The Hanged Man's choking her!" warned Rise.

Kanji looked over and spotted the Hanged Man. He ran over and smacked him with his shield. Dazed, the Hanged Man bobbed back and forth like a piñata. Naoto removed the noose just as Hermit crashed to the ground next to her. She quickly wound the noose around the Hermit's neck and tightened it. The Hanged Man regained his composure and yanked the lasso. Kanji ducked as the Hermit sailed by overhead. The Hermit hit a wall and shattered into rubble.

Stunned by the realization of his mistake, the Hanged Man could only stand there and gawk. Ai hurled a Mustard Bomb. The explosion blasted the Hanged Man to pieces. A distance away, Teddie noticed Yukiko on the ground rubbing her chin. Chie seemed quite apologetic. "What happened?" asked Teddie.

"Chie kicked me in the face," replied Yukiko.

"I didn't mean it! The Hermit messed with my head. I couldn't tell what I was doing," said Chie sheepishly.

"Here, let me heal you," said Teddie, sending a stream of white light. Yukiko immediately felt her head clear up as the Dia magic worked on her.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) 

When the group had fully recovered, they closed ranks and awaited Kagutsuchi's next test. Kagutsuchi cleaned out the piles of rubble and formed a new opponent for Exaltation. He was a single towering, skeletal creature. He had a skull for a face, wore tattered robes, and carried a scythe. He resembled the Grim Reaper. "Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end and the absolute beginning," said Death.

"That is Death," informed Rise. "He is immune to death magic and can use it himself. He is more powerful than the other Arcana combined. Be careful!"

Death cast a dark spell upon them. A ring of violet light enclosed Exaltation, forcing them to group up at the centre. Naoto quickly switched to Sophia. A foul, unholy darkness flooded the interior of the ring. This black mist sapped the very life from them. This brief, but crushing brush with death brought them to their knees, all except for Naoto and Naoki. Their Personas, Sophia and Hell Biker, had immunity to death magic, which allowed them to withstand this onslaught.

Their friends were still weak, but Death was already preparing to attack again. His scythe was raised up high and a second ring of violet light was starting to form. "Naoki, stop his spell!" said Naoto.

Naoki quickly sped forward and both he and Hell Biker lashed chains onto Death's scythe. The three struggled with the weapon, but Death got the upper hand, yanking both Hell Biker and Naoki to the ground. He quickly undid the chain and resumed his spell. When it completed, the dark miasma flooded the ring's interior, but was nullified by previously invisible barriers of white light, a Tetraja spell. The darkness and its containing ring faded harmlessly. Yukiko clasped hands and chanted a prayer. Her team became awash in white light and rapidly returned to full health.

Death swung at Naoto, but Kanji leapt in front and blocked the blade. Death pushed to overpower Kanji, yet could not break the stalemate. Death suddenly jabbed with the blunt end, which Kanji predictably blocked. Death suddenly slashed at his legs, tripping Kanji. With Kanji down from Hassohappa, Death turned to Naoto. As he swung for Naoto, something snagged his scythe. Death tried to wrench his weapon free, but couldn't. That was when he noticed the chain and Naoki and Hell Rider pulling back at the other end.

Chie and Teddie quickly rushed over and encased Death's lower half in ice, trapping him in place. Yosuke and Susanoo suddenly appeared overhead, descending upon him with weapons drawn. With his free hand, Death unleashed a blast of darkness. The Hades Blast blew Yosuke out of the sky. Suddenly, a vine entwined around Death's free hand. It constricted and pulled back on his hand, keeping him from using it freely.

Yukiko gathered flame into a massive sphere for a final strike which would finish Death once and for all. Death summoned a ghostly black, demonic hand which rushed forward and grabbed Yukiko. A black haze filled the room and she found herself with the bodies of several other people nearby. They were her friends. Death was before her, brandishing the scythe, daring her to attack. She was all alone, against the darkness, yet, it was all an illusion. Her body was still in the real world, paralysed by fear, shivering uncontrollably, and her face all white.

Naoto, seeing her friend in trouble, rushed forward and unloaded a pair of bullets into Death. Death shuddered with each hit. Naoto quickly conjured Sophia, who unleashed a powerful Hama spell upon Death. Golden ofuda encircled Death and flashed white, consuming him completely. "Phew," remarked Kanji.

Teddie quickly set to work on calming Yukiko with the milky white light of Amrita. "Thanks Teddie," replied Yukiko.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) 

When the team was ready, Kagutsuchi conjured six new opponents to test them. The shining blue bricks coalesced into the first of the enemy team a gigantic, jewel-encrusted chalice. "There is harmony and unity even among the mismatched," said Temperance.

The second figure was a ferocious, but chained, demon. "One's chains are largely self-imposed," said the Devil.

The third was a miniature tower the size of a human being. "Pride comes before a fall," said the Tower.

The fourth was merely a five-pointed star. "Hope lingers on in the midst of uncertainty and doubt," said the Star.

The fifth was a crescent moon. "Facing your fears can inspire you to new heights," said the Moon.

The sixth and last was a sun. "Joy shines from the self for all to see," said the Sun.

"They are Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, and Sun," said Rise. "Devil can use death magic and is healed by it. He can also use psychic attacks, but is vulnerable to them and to light as well. Moon can use physical skills and fear-based mental attacks, but is also weak to them. Tower also has physical attacks and is very resistant to them. Sun can use both fire and banishment attacks and absorbs both. Star uses ice and absorbs it. Temperance is well rounded in skills and resistant to everything."

The Tower gathered pink energy into a ball at its apex. It released it as a Primal Force, blasting Yukiko to the ground. "Yukiko!" cried Chie.

The Devil advanced on Chie locked gazes with her. His eyes glowed with a hypnotic redness, as did Chie's. Her face turned beet-red as intense fury filled her. She launched herself at the Devil with a flying kick. The Devil sidestepped. Chie landed and quickly righted herself, throwing a flurry of devastating kicks. The Devil blocked the onslaught until he saw Chie spin into a roundhouse kick. He caught her foot and wrapped chains around her leg. Chie tried to wriggle free, but the chains were too tight and her balance was precarious.

Throughout the whole exchange, Naoto and Yosuke were shouting at Chie. "Chie!" cried Naoto.

"Watch out!" cried Yosuke, seeing the Moon approach in his peripheral vision..

The Moon suddenly glowed with a darkly violet light. Kagutsuchi's room and the floor suddenly vanished! Yosuke went tumbling down hundreds of stories of sky, all the way back to the surface. All he could do was scream in horror as he made a one way plunge to certain doom. However, all of that was in his mind. Naoto noticed him standing there, shivering with terror etched on his face. "Yosuke, snap out of it!" cried Naoto. At that moment, the Sun expelled a massive torrent of flame, but Naoto quickly blocked.

The Tower fired at Ai, but Kanji darted forward with shield raised. He took the Primal Force, but despite not being harmed by it, it still pushed him back. He had to dig into the ground just to maintain his position. "Ai," said Kanji. The girl turned to him. "Get Yukiko up."

"Okay," she replied.

Ai left Kanji's side to tend to Yukiko, who was still dazed on the ground. She emitted white light from her hands. The Dia magic infused Yukiko with its wholesome, life-giving power. Yukiko groggily opened her eyes, regaining her lucidity. "I'll be okay," she remarked to Ai as she stood up.

Yukiko noticed Yosuke, still quivering in fear from the spell of the Moon. The Moon began gathering a great amount of dark power, for its final strike. She recited a Prayer for Yosuke, filling him with the same life-giving light she had received from Ai. Yosuke continued to fall in his vision when suddenly, the sky vanished and he found himself standing in the midst of a battle. He stood there puzzled, wondering what was going on. The Moon suddenly released its spell as a foul screech, but it washed over Yosuke harmlessly.

"Phew, just in the nick of time," remarked Rise. "That was Ghastly Wail. It kills those who are suffering from fear. If you were a just moment later, he would have been killed."

"Nice save Yukiko. I owe ya one," said Yosuke. "Now for some payback!"

Yosuke cast Tentarafoo, blitzing the Moon with spheres of yellow light. The Moon's equilibrium was shattered and it was thrown into confusion and vertigo. The Moon floundered about, trying to make its way through a world which spun and turned upside-down. Yosuke sicced Susanoo upon the Moon. The Persona made a clean slash across the Moon's top, slicing off a chunk of rock. The Moon tried to escape, only managing to stumble around erratically. Susanoo dashed in, cutting it in half with one running slash.

The Tower fired another Primal Force, which Kanji blocked. As he was about to lower his guard, the Tower fired again, forcing him into defence again. The Tower continued to pummel him with Primal Forces, even though they were not harming him. Despite that, they were pushing Kanji slowly towards the wall behind. "Not good," Kanji thought. "If I'm trapped against the wall, the next blast might blow me out of this room."

The Tower fired again, pushing Kanji against that wall. There was nowhere left for him to go, except through the wall and into a 777 story plunge outside. The Tower's apex glowed with pink energy, preparing the final Primal Force. The Devil suddenly came flying in from the side, crashing into the Tower. It misfired, hitting the wall inches away from Kanji, who shifted away to avoid it. As the Devil crumbled into rubble, Kanji noticed Chie, retracting her leg from a kick.

"Hey I owe ya one," remarked Kanji.

"Buy me some beef ramen when this is done," said Chie, smiling in jest.

As the Tower attempted to get up and renew its attack, Kanji saw it. He hurled a bolt of electricity which tore off the Tower's top. As Tower crumbled, an explosion burst forth from its bottom section, consuming the rest of it, scattering rubble everywhere. Yosuke unleashed a Tentarafoo spell upon the Devil. Its golden orbs confounded the Devil, who wobbled around in vertigo. The Devil lashed a chain at the Sun, causing it to misfire an Agi into the roof.

Ai, the Sun's intended victim, fired a Mustard Bomb. The resulting explosion blew the Sun to rubble. It also hit the Devil and sent him to the ground. Naoki suddenly came speeding in on Hell Biker and simply ran him over, leaving crushed rubble marked by a tire track. Temperance swung at Chie with a blob of wine. Chie ducked. The Temperance tried again, but Chie sidestepped and darted forward. She closed and punted Temperance away. Temperance crashed into the Star, taking both down. Yukiko cast Meltdown, incinerating both constructs within the ring of flame.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) 

As the Investigation Team regrouped, the piles of rubble flowed away in trails. Kagutsuchi gathered more blocks and formed them into an angel-like creature who had a skull for a face and carried a trumpet. It was similar in appearance to the demon Trumpeter, the angel whose trumpet sounded the start of Armageddon. "Only by accepting the past can we be free of its burden," said Judgement.

"This creature is Judgement," said Rise. "He is the most powerful of the Arcana monsters we've faced. It is resistant to every element while being immune to banishment, death, and all ailments. It specializes in almighty attacks, so there is no way to completely block his attacks."

Judgement played a brief, but triumphant song on his instrument. A sphere of dark, reality-warping power formed in the air. "Watch out!" cried Naoto.

The sphere grew in size as Judgement played and then burst in a massive explosion. Exaltation could only cover themselves as the explosion washed over them. Despite putting all her strength into it, Ai could not remain standing and got blown away. She crashed into the wall behind her, opening several cracks into the stone surface. "Ai!" cried Yukiko.

"He's coming for us!" cried Kanji. Judgement advanced and blew into his horn, expelling a sphere of almighty energy. Kanji blocked it, but it still hit hard enough to bowl him over. Despite taking such a clean hit, he was still able to get up afterwards.

Naoki sped on Hell Biker and entwined his chain around Judgement's trumpet. He tried to pry the instrument from the angel's hands, but Judgement held on tightly. Seeing it distracted, Naoto called on Sophia and released a massive Megido sphere. Naoki saw the orb coming and released his grip. When Judgement realized what was happening, the sphere had exploded violently. Judgement went flying into the stone wall, crashing into a heap.

Despite such a harsh impact, Judgement got up almost instantly. "He's not done," said Rise. "He's still got a lot of fight left in him."

Judgement blew into his trumpet, expelling a massive shockwave. Naoto quickly raised her arms to block. The shockwave hit with great force, but fell short of being strong enough to topple her. Yosuke was not so lucky and got blown across the room. Once the floor's friction stopped him, he got up and ambled back to the side of his friends. Kanji sent a bolt of lightning through the air. Judgement took the attack in full, retreating to create distance.

Judgement caught the lightning his left hand while blowing into the trumpet with his right. An orb of almighty energy spewed out of the bell-shaped opening. Kanji dove away, just moments before the orb hit his previous location and exploded. Yukiko spewed fire from her hands. The fire formed a ring around Judgement, trapping him within. Chie brought down the God Hand, flattening Judgement with a single golden fist. As the dust cleared, Judgement was at the bottom of a cracked crater. He returned upright.

"Keep going," informed Rise. "That last attack got him good, but he can still fight."

Judgement blew into his trumpet, sending a potent shockwave forward. Chie quickly leapt in front of Yukiko to take the blast for her friend. It proved too strong, taking her off her feet and hurling her back. She accidentally crashed into Yukiko, taking her along for the ride as they landed in a heap. Naoto ran forward and fired several rounds to distract Judgement. Naoto began gathering energy to unleash a massive Megido spell. Annoyed, Judgement turned to her and blew into its trumpet.

Naoki chained the instrument once again, snatching it from Judgement's hand. He slammed it into the ground, shattering it into rubble. Unfortunately, Judgement had gotten off its spell already. At the same time, Naoto had released her own spell. The two orbs sailed past each other in a beeline for their respective targets. Due to Naoki's interference, Judgement's Megido was off, exploding to Naoto's left, throwing her into the ground harshly. Her own Megido made a clean hit and blasted Judgement into the opposite wall.

As the dust cleared, it revealed Judgement, still slumped against the wall. "We've got him on the ropes. Finish him off!" said Rise.

Feeling the rush of victory approaching, the downed members of the Investigation Team bounced back up. All of them unleashed simultaneous attacks upon Judgement, from gusts of Yosuke's Divine Wind to the blazing flames of Yukiko's Meltdown. Judgement got pushed deeper into the wall, becoming further embedded into it. Naoto capped their combined assault by sending a Megido at him. A massive explosion consumed the room, forcing the team to avert their eyes from the blown debris. When the dust settled, all that remained of Judgement was rubble.

"From the moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, man had sealed his fate. Entrusting his future to the cards, man has found a new hope," said Kagutsuchi. "The Arcana was the means by which all had been revealed. Congratulations, Reason bearer. Take the power of the Universe and let the world of Exaltation spring forth from here on out."

A point of light descended before Naoto, hovering before her. Upon grasping it, a great light filled the room. Kagutsuchi's light burst forth with an intensity that none had seen before. Pillars of light erupted throughout the Vortex World, splintering the ground and triggering massive earthquakes. The rumbling resounded across the Vortex World as it took on a new form. Lush vegetation, then vast sprawling metropolises carpeted the barren world. A great white light filled the world upon its rebirth.

**END OF CHAPTER**


	26. World: World of Exaltation

Disclaimer:

Atlus is the creator of the Shin Megami Tensei series of games, which this story uses as source material. As per the subject matter, all characters, events, places, and concepts used in this story are a work of fiction.

**Fall and Rebirth**

**By: RB3 **

**World Arcana: World of Exaltation**

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Naoto opened her eyes. She was safely in bed at home, at the Shirogane estate. It was eight o'clock in the morning and the date on the calendar was Saturday, December 22, 2012. It was one day after the Mayan Calendar had ended, one day after doomsday. All was quiet and light filtered into her bedroom from the crack in the curtains. Was it all a dream? She did not know. All she had in mind was one thought. It was to go to Junes and meet her friends.

She and the rest of the Investigation Team had arranged a meeting today. Yet, she could not remember how they had arranged this meeting in the first place. It was more like a need, a compulsion, to go to Junes and see her friends. When she finally arrived, her friends appeared to have the same idea. Yosuke, Yukiko, and Chie were seated at their usual table, chatting away. Yosuke had made some sort of comment that clearly annoyed Chie, causing her to berate him. He eventually left to check out the concessions booths.

Kanji was simply sitting there, minding his own business, while sipping his drink. Teddie simply watched the two argue, not getting involved. However, there was a new face at the table, a girl with wavy, shoulder length light brown hair. The girl was just lounging around, relaxing while spending time with her friends. Naoto recognized the girl as Saki Konishi, but something about her, something about this was not right. She had the feeling that Saki was not supposed to be there, but at the same time, that she should.

"Naoto?" asked Kanji.

"Hello," she replied.

"Is it just me, or do you get the feeling that something's not right?" asked Kanji. "When I woke up this morning, I felt this sudden urge to come here, but I don't know why."

"So, I'm not the only one," replied Naoto. "Do you remember how we set up this meeting? I can't remember at all. Like you, I..."

At that moment, Saemon Ichihara set foot into the food court, dressed in plain clothes. His ears were covered by his head phones as they usually were. When Naoto and the others noticed him, they received a sudden flash of insight. It was like their whole lives flashed before their eyes, or rather, it was a vision of a life from a different time. The events had transpired in a way different from what they knew. Now, they had memories of two lives, one from before the Conception, and the new one created upon establishing their Reason.

Their new world was a result of passing the Vortex World's trials. It was much like the old and had "other worlds" connected to the human one. Instead of Shadows, they were inhabited by demons, likely ones which had moved in since then. Last year, a murder case brought the Investigation Team together, like the old world. This time, it wasn't Izanami's experiment killing random people. Instead, it was the activities of the Aztec god of the night, Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror.

"Hey! How have ya been?" asked Teddie.

"We didn't think you'd make it," said Yukiko.

"Nope, I'm here now, and the others will come soon enough. They're running late," said Saemon, taking seat across from Naoto.

"Hey, who's your new friend?" asked Saki.

"That's Saemon Ichihara. He's... an old friend from a different time," replied Naoto.

"Yep that's me. Hi, uh... Saki, is it?" asked Saemon, waving at her.

"Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Saki Konishi," she replied. "You've met my friends, haven't you?"

"Yep, we go back a long way," replied Saemon. "I need to speak with Naoto for a moment, so, can we mingle a bit later."

"Sure," said Saki.

"So Naoto, this is the world your Reason created. What do you think?" asked Saemon.

"I like it," replied Naoto. "Many things are the same, and many are different. In the old world, the police force treated me like a kid and was very sexist. I tried as hard as I could to gain their respect, but nothing was working. Nothing I did could make them accept me."

"Maybe you were trying too hard?" asked Saemon.

"You sound just like them," said Naoto. "That's all behind me now."

"So, how did that change?" asked Saemon.

"The police force called me in to help out with a serial murder case," replied Naoto. "They needed a 'specialist.' It had some oddities which suggested a cult and the supernatural were involved, something the Shirogane family were very well-equipped to handle. Later on, I joined the Investigation Team, which was starting up to investigate the murders. The cult gave us the slip at every turn, but I eventually created a plan to counter that."

Saemon smiled. "I see, that's great! Who was the culprit?"

"Adachi," replied Naoto. "When we started to suspect him, we were right. He was the high priest of the cult. They used mirrors to move between the human and demon worlds to commit their murders. Whenever the police were onto them, they simply packed up and fled into a mirror. Even Dojima confided his suspicions to me. I arranged to attack the demon world to distract Adachi. Dojima got a search warrant and found enough evidence to convict him."

"There's a demon world, but what happened to the Shadow world?" asked Saemon.

"I don't think it never existed," replied Naoto. "It's just another thing that changed after establishing Exaltation."

"Was there another person behind Adachi?" asked Saemon. "I remember you guys telling me it was Izanami in the old world."

"Yeah, it was Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec night god," replied Naoto.

"Tezcatlipoca you say? I suppose the murder victims were found without hearts then?" asked Saemon.

"Yeah, and others found decapitated and skinned," replied Naoto. "Nearly all of them had their hearts removed, so the media dubbed it the 'Heartless Murders' case."

"Was Mayumi Yamano one of the victims?" asked Saemon.

"Yeah, the third one, to be precise. She had been found skinned and missing her heart," replied Naoto.

"It must be tough to absorb so much new information," said Saemon.

"Yeah, I learned so many new things about myself and my family. I don't just come from a long of line of detectives. We're also a long line of devil summoners as well. Teddie is one of my demons, Kamui."

"So he became his former Persona," remarked Saemon. "Interesting..."

"Yeah, and it's not only us. It seems there are more people who have had contact with the supernatural compared to the old world," said Naoto. "Yukiko's family practice magic. They guard a special spring with magical properties."

"What kind of properties?" asked Saemon.

"The water has Magnetite in it," replied Yukiko. "We drink it as a health tonic."

"Is that so?" asked Saemon. "If consumed, Magnetite can give people magical powers. It's like Magatsuhi, but in metallic form."

"I know," replied Yukiko. "That's why my family has guarded it for generations. Adachi's cult wanted that spring. They dumped Mayumi Amano's body near the inn to scare people away. They were hoping to drive us out of business so they could buy out our inn. They even kidnapped me and tried to have me sacrificed. Around that time, the Investigation Team had formed. They rescued me and I joined them."

Saemon nodded, understanding Yukiko's story. "So you can use magic," remarked Saemon. "Yes, I can feel the aura coming from you."

"I can cast Agi, Dia, and Hama spells, just like I could before. I can use Aqua magic too," replied Yukiko. "Dia and Aqua magic are my family's specialty."

"Naoto, can you can use magic too?" asked Saemon.

"Yeah, but it's more for binding demons," replied Naoto. "We rely more on physical skills and have our demons handle spells for us."

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) 

More guests arrived to the party at the Junes food court. The first group was Ai, Naoki, Dojima and his daughter, Nanako. Following them was Dojima's partner, Akihiko Sanada, and a former classmate from his time at Gekkoukan High, Fuuka Yamagishi. "Hi everybody!" said Nanako.

"Hi Nanako, glad you could make it," said Naoto.

The other new guests greeted the Investigation Team and started to mingle. Sanada, Fuuka, and Saemon found themselves together and started chatting. When Saemon encountered them, he could feel demonic power radiating from them. In particular, Fuuka seemed much different than before. Her hair was longer and tied back in a braid. She also had slitted pupils, like that of a cat. In fact, her face seemed to have a feral air about it. Saemon also caught a brief glimpse of a black mark on her neck which resembled a cat's face.

"Hello Saemon," said Fuuka.

"Hey, how have you been? Has the new world been treating you well?" asked Saemon.

"Yeah, I'm surprised at how similar and different the two worlds are," she replied.

"Yeah, Naoto was just saying the same thing," said Saemon. "How has it changed for you two?"

"A lot," replied Sanada. "The Shadows don't exist in this world, for one."

"No, they were replaced by the demons," said Fuuka. "The Kirijo Group even did research on them."

"Oh boy," remarked Saemon with great concern.

"Yeah, I know. The Kirijo Group cultured a virus which enables its victims to turn into demons," replied Fuuka. "It's called 'Atma' and both Akihiko and I have contracted it."

"Atma you say?" asked Saemon. "Yeah, I've heard of it. I'm not too thrilled that the Kirijo Group had cultured it. How did they get the first sample?"

"They got it from Yukari," replied Sanada. Saemon's jaw dropped. "I know... I knew something like this would happen. I feel sorry for her, I really do."

When Yukari reincarnated in the new world, she was reborn with Atma still in her. As a young child, she displayed unusual powers, such as generating wind. Her father had brought her to a Kirijo Group lab for study. At first, the tests were relatively innocent. She would be hooked up to a monitoring computer or have a blood sample taken for study. They discovered the Atma virus and soon learned about her Atma avatar. They decided to cause Yukari to manifest Black Maria for study.

The tests and experiments then took a dark turn. Among other things, they tried shocking her with electricity and drugging her to cause a manifestation, but got no results. At first, her father laughed off Yukari's tales as a child's imagination. By the time he suspected anything, it was too late. The Kirijo Group had begun an especially dangerous experiment which caused her power to go out of control. Before the building came down, her father got her out and gave her to his wife for safe keeping while he went into hiding.

"Yukari had been repressing these memories until we started to dig into the dirt," said Sanada. "After the experiments on Yukari, the Kirijo Group had learned enough to culture Atma. They began injecting it into people, like myself, like Shinjiro, Ken, Strega and others. I don't know how many they infected, but I can only assume it was a large number."

"Strega's strain in particular was contagious," said Fuuka. "I was infected by Takaya when he cut me down."

"I don't remember Atma ever being contagious," said Saemon. "Normally, Atma avatars can't spread the virus, even if they come into contact with someone else."

"Strega had an unstable, mutant strain of Atma," replied Fuuka. "It was contagious and could spread to others through contact. It made Takaya into a werewolf, Jin into a zombie, and Chidori into a vampire."

"Did he turn you into a werewolf?" asked Saemon.

"No, I was changed into a werecat," replied Fuuka. "The Atma strain was unstable so it only turned me into something similar. It was early in my second year of high school. Some bullies had locked me in the gym as a joke. When night came, Takaya burst in and got me. I was hurt so badly that I had to be taken to a hospital. I don't remember what happened after that."

"Yeah," Sanada continued. "It was pretty bad. You were mangled so badly that you were almost unrecognizable. Your wounds healed so quickly that I don't think you were there for more than three nights."

"You told me that," said Fuuka. "The next thing I remember was waking up naked on the ground in the middle of nowhere. Mitsuru had just given me an injection which stabilized my infection. When I recovered, I accepted her invitation to join SEES and learn how to control my transformation."

"Junpei went through the same thing," said Sanada. "He was stabbed in the heart by Takaya, but Chidori fed him her blood to save his life and turned him into a vampire."

"I see," replied Saemon. "I noticed a mark on your neck, Fuuka. Is that your Atma Brand?"

"Yeah," replied Fuuka. She turned aside to allow Saemon to see it.

Saemon studied the mark intensely, holding the skin of her neck to straighten the mark. "Is this where he bit you?"

"Yeah, the first place," replied Fuuka.

"How did your battle against Takaya and the Kirijo Group turn out?" asked Saemon.

"We cornered Takaya and Jin and defeated them after a hard fight. Chidori switched sides to help us after Takaya wounded Junpei," replied Sanada. "After that, we discovered that Chairman Ikutsuki was the mastermind behind everything. He was using us to explore the Underworld, so we could locate certain demons imprisoned there. Yukari and Mitsuru's fathers confronted him, but both were killed in the battle, along with Ikutsuki."

"What kind of demons?" asked Saemon. "They sound very dangerous if they were locked up there."

"Oh, they were," replied Sanada. "They're called the Titans, the same ones locked up by the Greek gods. Ikutsuki wanted to gain control of them. Without Ikutsuki, his group botched their operation and the Titans got loose. We stepped in and stopped them from invading the human world."

"That's good," remarked Saemon. "How are you guys right now?"

"I was hired by the Inaba police department during the summer. I've been assigned to be Dojima's new partner, since Adachi got busted," replied Sanada. "I'm sure you already know this."

"Yeah," replied Saemon. "What about you, Fuuka? What have you been up to?"

"I'm still with the old group," replied Fuuka. "We're not called SEES anymore. We're the Demon Operatives now. What we do is monitor the Underworld and keep whatever is there from getting out and causing trouble. We also investigate other supernatural phenomenon."

"I haven't seen Mitsuru yet. Is she coming?" asked Saemon.

"No," replied Sanada. "After remembering the past, she didn't feel she could face us."

"I don't blame her," admitted Saemon. "There's probably some bad blood between her and the Inaba team."

"Bad blood? Why?" asked Fuuka. Sanada explained it all to Fuuka. "I see. Koromaru and I survived the Conception, but we were separated from you."

"Where did you end up?" asked Saemon.

"The northern part, from what I recall. We were very close to the north pole of the Vortex World," replied Fuuka. "I wanted to get back to you guys, but it was hard enough trying to stay alive as it was. A flash of light filled the world and everything was gone. It wasn't until now that I remembered what happened."

"Most of us ended up near Inaba," said Sanada.

"Inaba landed in the east part of the Vortex World, below the equator," informed Saemon. "The only way up to the northern lands was to cross the Ocean of Origin at the centre or to go through lands occupied by other Reasons. We didn't even know if you were alive or not, but I'm glad you survived."

"Yeah, it's great to be back together again," said Fuuka. "Are your friends coming?"

"Of course," replied Saemon. "They running a bit late, but they'll come."

"Hey guys, the food's ready!" cried Yosuke from one of the stands. "Come help yourself!"

"Well?" asked Saemon.

"Sure, let's eat," said Sanada.

The trio went over to where Yosuke was. The boy had ordered a large meal with food ranging from fried chicken to burgers and hot dogs. Saemon, Fuuka, and Sanada went over and picked out their meal and sat down to eat. Just then, Atsuro and Yuzu entered the roof, followed by Midori and Keisuke. "Hey guys, over here!" cried Fuuka.

**END OF STORY**


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